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CONSTITUTION, BYLAWS AND RESOLUTIONS


 

Table of Contents

Article I.            NAME AND PURPOSE. 3

Article II.           OFFICERS. 3

Article III.         NATIONAL COMMITTEES. 6

Article IV.         MEETINGS & EVENTS. 8

Article V.           MEMBERSHIP. 10

Article VI.         VOTING. 11

Article VII.        VACANCIES. 12

Article VIII.       AMENDMENTS. 12

Article IX.          DISSOLUTION.. 13

Article X.           GENERAL. 14

Bylaws. 15

Section I.          General 15

Section II.         Amendments. 15

Section III.        Election of Officers. 16

Section IV.        Impeachment 18

Section V.         Internal Grievances. 19

 

 


 

Article I.        NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1.                Name:

This organization shall be known as the Federal Aviation Administration Pride, herein called the “Association” or “FAA Pride.”

Section 2.                Purpose:

The purpose of this Association is to eliminate prejudice and discrimination for all in the workplace regardless of one’s sexual orientation and/or gender identity. To carry out this purpose, the Association shall provide its members the following:

a.                Information and education for use within the FAA to contribute to FAA employee welfare and morale, assist in empowering a climate of equality and inclusion among FAA employees and for use in educating the public;

b.               Representation, within the FAA, the Association and with other governmental and non-governmental organizations;

c.                The point of exchange of experience, ideas and general knowledge in all areas encompassing sexual orientation and gender identity;

d.               Support in strengthening and enhancing all the diverse missions of the FAA with a focus on the core missions to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and

e.                Sponsorship of cultural and educational pursuits, professional development programs, and social, entertainment and recreational events.

Section 3.                Authorization:

This Association operates in accordance to the FAA Human Resource Policy Manual (HRPM), which will take precedence in any conflict.

Article II.      OFFICERS

Section 1.                Executive Committee and Board of Directors

a.                The affairs of the Association will be organized by a Board of Directors, herein called the “Board”, and an Executive Committee. 

b.               The Executive Committee is comprised of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and the Secretary, and three (3) Directors-at-Large.

c.                The Board is comprised of the Executive Committee, three (3) Service Area Directors and one (1) Membership Officer.

Section 2.                Elected Officers

a.                The Executive Committee consists of elected Officers of the Association and shall be elected by the members.

b.               All elected Officers shall be elected for a term of two (2) years and cannot serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same position.

c.                Elections will be held on an annual basis and new Officers will be sworn in October (Bylaws Section III).

Section 3.                Elected Officers Eligibility

a.                Any employee member of the Association seeking election to a position of the Executive Committee shall be a member in good standing at the time of nomination.

b.               The Elections Committee verifies eligibility for nomination.

c.                Officers must remain members in good standing throughout a term.

Section 4.                Duties of Elected Officers

The duties of the elected Officers are as follows:

a.                The President shall:

i)                 Be the official representative and spokesperson for the Association.

ii)                Serve as the chair of the Executive Committee and the Board.

iii)              Preside at meetings of the Association and at meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee.

iv)              Ensure that all committees, work groups or task forces operate according to the Association’s Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions and policies.

v)                Call special meetings of the Board when so requested by a majority of the Board or whenever the president determines necessary.

vi)              Name additional committees, work groups, or task forces and approve committee chairs for the term of office to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Association.

 

b.               The Vice President shall:

i)                 In the absence or inability of the President to perform all the duties of the office, be directed by the Executive Committee to assume the duties of the President.

ii)                Assist the President in conducting the business and policies of the Association.

iii)              Perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Board.

iv)              In the Secretary’s absence, the Vice President shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of all Executive Committee, Board and General Business meetings.

 

c.                The Treasurer shall:

i)                 Receive, hold and keep a proper account of all monies, and pay all legitimate bills of the Association.

ii)                Submit quarterly financial reports to the Board.

iii)              Perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Board.

 

d.               The Secretary shall:

i)                 Be responsible for keeping the minutes of all Executive Committee, Board, and General Business meetings.

ii)                Be responsible for the maintenance and protection of all records, books, papers and contracts of the Association.

iii)              Perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Board.

 

e.                The Directors-at-Large shall:

i)                 Be a liaison to the general membership.

ii)                Fulfill duties as needed to fulfill Board requirements and address overall organizational goals.

iii)              Fill vacant positions on the Board if required.

iv)              Perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Board.

Section 5.                Non-Voting, Non-Elected Officers

a.                Service Area Directors

Are nominated by the Directors-at-Large and appointed by the Executive Committee, and shall:

i)                 Be a liaison to the membership in the respective Service Areas.

ii)                Administer the affairs of the respective Service Areas, and shall implement all policies established by this Constitution, its Bylaws, Resolutions and the Board.

iii)              Work with the Membership Officer to validate membership (Bylaws Section I, Subsection 3).

iv)              Perform other duties as prescribed by the Executive Committee.

 

b.               Membership Officer

Is nominated and appointed by the Executive Committee, and shall:

i)                 Maintain lists of current and former members, including contact information as well as confidentiality status.

ii)                Work with the Service Area Directors to validate membership (Bylaws Section I, Subsection 3).

iii)              Perform other duties as prescribed by the Executive Committee.

Section 6.                Duties of the Board

a.                The Board shall:

i)                 Have general charge of the affairs of the Association.

ii)                Create and maintain a strategic plan to provide continuity and general direction of the Association.

iii)              Approve, adopt, change or amend all budgets as recommended by the Treasurer and the Executive Committee.

iv)              Review and vote on the investment of the Association’s funds.

v)                Approve nominations of Service Area Directors.

vi)              Establish and publish the date and place of general business meetings of the Association.

vii)             Establish dues (Bylaws Section I, Subsection 1).

viii)           Review and, as needed, instruct the Elections Committee to count ballots voided and reason(s) for the validation.

Section 7.                Terms of Service

a.                The terms of Board service of the member-elected Officers shall coincide with the terms of office. 

b.               Non-elected Officers shall serve for the term specified by the Executive Committee.

Section 8.                Office Related Records for Succession Planning

All Officers shall deliver all office-related records to the successors on or before the date of succession.

Article III.     NATIONAL COMMITTEES

Section 1.                Standing Committees

a.                The Executive Committee, by policy or charter adopted by a majority of the full Board, may establish and dissolve from among the Board members “standing committees” that shall have and exercise the authority of the Board, and shall be considered committees of the Board.

b.               Such committees shall each consist of at least three (3) Board members.

 

Section 2.                Advisory Committees

a.                The Executive Committee may also establish other, advisory committees as it deems appropriate from time to time, that shall only have the powers and authority specifically delegated to them by the Board.

b.               Such committees shall each consist of at least three (3) Board members and at least two (2) members in good standing.

 

Section 3.                Permanent Committees

In addition to those committees provided for in the Constitution, the following permanent committees are established through appointment from the membership for staggered three (3) year terms, whereby such appointments shall correspond with the election of Officers and, if needed, committee vacancies shall be immediately filled by the Board:

 

a.                Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee

i)                 Shall consist of at least three (3) members in good standing and, preferably, one (1) representative of each Service Area recommended by the Service Area Director and approved by the President.

ii)                Has a Committee Chair appointed from the members and approved by the President for a three-year term. The committee members may recommend a candidate for Chair to the President.

iii)              Meets at least annually and as needed to initiate and/or review proposed changes to the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions that have been submitted in a form prescribed by the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee, and report on the changes to the Board. The committee reports any proposed changes to the membership.

iv)              Submits proposed changes to the Elections Committee for a vote (Article VIII).

v)                Receives and reviews all Resolutions submitted by membership and makes a recommendation on each Resolution in a report to the membership.

vi)              Submits Resolutions to the Association’s membership for a vote at a general business meeting or a Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution Election (Article VIII, Section 2).

 

b.               Elections Committee

i)                 Shall administer the election process and conducts all balloting for all elections (Bylaws Section III).

ii)                Shall consist of at least three (3) members in good standing and, preferably, one (1) representative of each Service Area recommended by the Service Area Director and approved by the President.

iii)              Has a Committee Chair appointed from the members of the committee and approved by the President for a three-year term. The committee members may recommend a candidate for Chair to the President.

iv)              Shall not consist of candidates for office.

v)                Shall validate candidates for the annual ballot by coordinating with the Credentials Committee.

vi)              Reports the final, official election results to the membership.

vii)             Shall oversee the counting of all ballots and the preparation and publication of a report detailing the results of the election, including the number of ballots distributed, number of ballots returned, and the number of ballots voided and reason(s) for the invalidation (Bylaws Section III).

 

c.                Credentials Committee

i)                 Shall consist of the Membership Officer and Service Area Directors.

ii)                Shall verify members in good standing and confirm that the membership roster is accurate on the Association’s website.

iii)              Shall provide the Elections Committee and the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee verification of voting members/delegates when required.

 

Section 4.                Limitation of Authority of Committees

a.                All members in good standing are eligible for appointments to committees and are entitled to vote on such committees.

b.                The composition, operating procedures, duties and authorities of each committee shall be as determined by policy or committee charter of the Board.

c.                In no event shall any committee have authority as to the following matters:

i)                 The submission to members of any action requiring member approval;

ii)                The filling of vacancies on the Board or any committee;

iii)              The amendment or repeal of any Resolution by the membership, which, by its terms, may not be so amended or repealed.

d.                The designation of and the delegation of authority to any committee shall not operate to relieve the Board or any individual Director of any responsibility imposed upon them by FAA HRPM guidance, or Federal, State and Local laws.

Article IV.    MEETINGS & EVENTS

The activities, programs, products, or services of the Association shall not be represented, directly or indirectly, as being official functions of the FAA or any official thereof without FAA permission.

Section 1.                Conference

There may be a conference of the Association at a physical or virtual location and date approved by the Board.

Section 2.                General Business Meeting and Special Meetings

a.                General Business Meeting

i)                 When there is a scheduled conference, it shall include a general business meeting of the members.

ii)                When a conference is not scheduled, a general business meeting shall occur on an annual basis.

 

b.               Special Meetings

The Board may call special meetings of the members when necessary for the transaction of pressing business.

 

c.                Notice of General Business and Special Meetings

i)                 Written notice of general business and special meetings shall be provided to all members not less than thirty (30) and no more than sixty (60) days before the time for such meeting.

ii)                Written notice shall state the place, date, and hour of the meeting and shall be published in the Association’s official publication.

Section 3.                Board Meeting

The Board shall hold at least four (4) meetings each year to approve, adopt, change or amend all budgets as recommended by Treasurer and the Executive Committee, and to conduct other business.

a.                Regular and Special Board Meetings

i)                 Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President when so requested by a majority of the Board or whenever the President determines necessary.

ii)                At least five (5) days notification shall be given for a special meeting with the reason for the special meeting stated, except when the President determines that an unusual emergency exists.

iii)              Reasonable advance notice shall also be given for regular meetings, for which no advance time and place has been fixed by the Board.

iv)              An Officer’s presence at a meeting will constitute waiver of notice unless the Officer specifies otherwise at the meeting.

v)                Each Officer with voting privileges shall be entitled to exercise one vote; there shall be no voting by proxy. The vote of a majority of the Officers with voting privileges present at a meeting where a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 4.                Meeting by Teleconference or Web Conference

a.                Association members are located in various places around the United States.

b.                To facilitate inclusiveness and encourage maximum participation, all meetings, conferences, or conventions shall include a virtual access component.

Section 5.                Quorum

a.                Calling Meetings to Order for Association Membership

The quorum for purposes of calling a general business meeting to order shall be minimum of seven (7) percent of members eligible to vote.

 

b.               Board of Directors or Executive Committee Meetings

A simple majority shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Board or Executive Committee.

Section 6.                Meeting Minutes

a.                Meeting minutes containing the results of the deliberations of the members and the Board shall be recorded and kept with the records of the Association within fifteen (15) calendar days of the meeting.

b.               Board meeting minutes shall be submitted to the Board for approval at the subsequent meeting of the Board.

c.                Upon approval, Board meeting minutes shall be made accessible to all members.

Section 7.                Parliamentary Order

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall provide guidance for the Association in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions, and any special rules of order that the Association may adopt.

Article V.      MEMBERSHIP 

Section 1.                Membership and Membership Privileges

Any FAA employee who wishes to actively support the mission and purpose of the Association may become a member.

Section 2.                Members

a.                Members pay dues subject to the provisions of Bylaws Section I, Subsection 1.

b.               Members who maintain current dues-paying status shall be entitled to vote on all matters requiring a vote of the general membership and may participate in committees, hold elective office, and serve on the Board, subject to the provisions of Article II, Section 3.

c.                Members shall be entitled to voting privileges after the Membership Officer or Treasurer have verified dues paying status.

Section 3.                Service Areas

The Association shall be divided into the following Service Areas:

a.                Eastern Service Area:

·                  New England Region: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and FAA Headquarters.

·                  Southern Region: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virgin Islands.

 

b.               Central Service Area:

·                  Great Lakes Region: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.

·                  Southwest Region: Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

 

c.                Western Service Area:

·                  Alaska Region: Alaska.

·                  Northwest Mountain Region: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

·                  Western Pacific Region: American Samoa, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Marshall Islands, Nevada.

Section 4.                Suspension, Revocation & Term of Membership

The Board may, after notice and an opportunity for presentation, temporarily suspend or revoke the membership of any member for conduct unbecoming a member of the Association (Bylaws Section V).

Article VI.    VOTING

Section 1.                Voting Eligibility

All members verified by the Credentials Committee are allowed to vote in elections.

Section 2.                Election Cycle

a.                To ensure continuity of Officers within the Executive Committee, the Association will follow a staggered election cycle. 

b.               Column A Offices will be elected in even numbered years, and Column B Offices will be elected in odd numbered years.

 

Column A – Even Year Elections

Column B – Odd Year Elections

President

Vice President

Treasurer

Secretary

Director-at-Large

Director-at-Large

Director-at-Large

 

Section 3.                Election Process

To facilitate a smooth transition, the Elections Committee will validate candidates for the annual ballot before April 1st

Section 4.                Election Results

Results of elections shall be presented through the Association’s official publication.

Article VII.   VACANCIES

Section 1.                President

In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the President, the Vice President shall immediately be appointed in writing or in a meeting by the Board to assume all duties and authorities of the vacant office, and an acting Vice President shall then be named by the President and, upon approval of the Board, serve for the unexpired term.

Section 2.                Treasurer

In the event of a vacancy occurring in the office of the Treasurer, an acting Treasurer shall immediately be appointed by the Executive Committee, and, upon approval of the Board, serve for the unexpired term.

Section 3.                Other Vacancies

a.                Vacancies in any offices or directorships not provided for above shall immediately be appointed by the Executive Committee, and shall serve for the unexpired term.

b.               Should vacancies remain unfilled for six (6) months and the Board be unable to constitute a quorum with the remaining offices or directorships (due to absence, illness or other inability), then a majority of the remaining offices or directorships may appoint an interim Director or Officer, as applicable, to fill the vacancy.

c.                Such an interim Director or Officer shall hold office only until a successor is elected or appointed as prescribed in this Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions.

Section 4.                Suspensions

In the event of the suspension of an Officer, the appointment of an acting Officer to act with the authority of such office for the duration of the suspension shall be made in accordance with this Section as if the suspension created a vacancy.

Article VIII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1.                Alter, Amend, Adopt or Revise Constitution, Bylaws or Resolutions

a.                The members of the Association shall have full power to alter, amend or revise this Constitution and Bylaws and propose and adopt Resolutions.

b.               Members requesting such alteration or revision shall submit a proposal in writing to the President by at least thirty (30) days prior to the opening date of a general business meeting in a form prescribed by the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee.

c.                The President will deliver member’s request to the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution Committee Chairperson within five (5) days of receipt of member’s request.

d.               The Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee may also originate such alterations or revisions at a general business meeting described in Article IV, Section 2.

e.                Any proposed changes must have the approval of the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee to be considered by the full membership.

f.                 The President shall see that notice of the proposed changes be provided in the official publication of the Association at least forty-five (45) days[ZAL(2]  prior to the date set for the opening of a general business meeting.

Section 2.                Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution Election

a.                A Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution Election may be called by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Resolutions Committee members.

b.               The Constitution, Bylaws, and Resolutions Committee will send the final revisions[ZAL(3]  to the Board.

c.                The President shall see that notice of the proposed changes shall be provided in the official publication of the Association at least ninety (90) days prior to the date set for the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution Election.

d.               The Elections Committee shall send an email or electronic ballot to all members eligible to vote at least thirty (30) days prior to the closing date of the ballot.

e.                Ballots must be submitted no later than 11:59pm EST the closing day of the ballot.

f.                 The Elections Committee will meet to audit and certify the results of the election. A two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members voting, shall be necessary for the adoption of any such alteration or amendment to the Association’s Constitution, Bylaws and Resolution revision.

g.                Results of the vote will be published in the official publication of the Association no later than ten (10) days after the ballot closes.

Section 3.                Interpretations

a.                Final Interpretations of this Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions shall be made by the President.

b.               Any Association member’s challenge to the President's interpretation of this Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions shall be submitted to the Executive Committee.

c.                The Executive Committee shall provide a decision on the challenge by three-fourths (3/4) vote.

Article IX.     DISSOLUTION

Section 1.                Decision

a.                The Association’s Executive Committee shall have the authority to make a motion to the voting members to dissolve this organization upon two thirds (2/3) vote. 

b.               The motion will be presented to and voted on by the membership in accordance with Article VIII and Bylaws Section II.


Section 2.                Distribution

a.                Should it become necessary to dissolve this Association, any and all of its property and revenue shall be distributed to a tax-exempt/non-profit organization as the majority of the Executive Committee may direct.

b.               In no event shall the holdings of this Association be distributed to the personal benefit of any member or private party.

Article X.      GENERAL

Section 1.                Conflicts of Interest

The Board shall adopt a conflict-of-interest policy and maintain an annual disclosure process that applies to all Officers and Directors of the Association.

Section 2.                Compensation

a.                Officers and Directors as such shall not receive any salary, tips, or gifts for services.

b.               Officers and Directors are not precluded from reimbursement of reasonable expenses or from serving the Association in any other capacity and receiving reasonable compensation for such service.

Section 3.                Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by the laws of California, the personal liability of the Officers, Directors, and Committee members of the Association is hereby eliminated.

Section 4.                Indemnification

To the fullest extent required by the laws of California, the Association shall indemnify its Officers, Directors, and Committee members.

Section 5.                Authority

a.                No Officer or Committee member may directly or indirectly commit the Association in any way or in any manner, financially or otherwise, without prior approval by the Board, except as specified in the approved budget or in specific passed motions of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that in case of emergency, the President is empowered to authorize the expenditure of sufficient funds with the approval of the majority of the Executive Committee to meet the emergency.

b.               The Board shall have the sole authority to make statements or declarations with respect to Association policy, to make endorsements, or to reject of any matter on any subject of policy.

Section 6.                Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Association shall extend from the first day of October through the last day of September.

Bylaws

Section I.      General

  

Subsection 1.       Dues

a.                The dues for members are seventy-eight dollars U.S. ($78.00) annually through payroll deduction of three dollars per pay period. The Board, by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote, may adjust these annual dues by an amount not to exceed the change in the Consumer Price Index (All Urban Consumers) since the last dues adjustment.

b.                The Board may authorize exceptions when deemed appropriate.

c.                Funds derived from dues shall be used to conduct activities of interest to the common interests of the membership.

Subsection 2.       Membership Application Process

a.                Prospective members shall initiate a membership application on the Association’s website.  The application requires the applicant’s official FAA work email address.

b.                The Membership Officer shall review all applications on the Association’s website.

c.                The Membership Officer sends a welcome email with a copy of form SF 1187. 

d.                Upon completion, return, and processing of form SF 1187, the Membership Officer will adjust the applicant’s membership on the Association’s website from prospective member to member.

Subsection 3.       Membership Validation

a.                The Membership Officer shall regularly validate the Association’s membership to ensure members are current in payment of dues and are not subject to removal or suspension as described in Bylaws Section IV or Bylaws Section V.

Section II.    Amendments

Subsection 1.       Adopting Amendments to Bylaws

a.                Amendment to these bylaws or rules of order may be made and implemented in accordance with Article VIII.

b.                These bylaws may also be amended by designation of articles, sections and/or subsections as a policy or procedure to be published in a “Policies and Procedures Manual,” maintained by the Board , endorsed by the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee and made electronically accessible to all members.  

c.                Changes in such policies and procedures shall be published both as they occur and in a manner that provides for member review of all such changes prior to a general business meeting.

Subsection 2.       Effective Date of Amendments; Priority

a.                All amendments, alterations or revisions of any part of these bylaws or rules of order shall take effect at the adjournment of a general business meeting unless otherwise provided.

b.                In the event of conflict between the Constitution, Bylaws or Resolutions and an amendment thereto, the language of that amendment shall prevail and any provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws or Resolutions inconsistent therewith shall be considered effectively amended.

Subsection 3.       Technical Amendments

The Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee may propose, and the Executive Committee approve, grammatical and non-substantive changes thereto, provided that such changes shall be published in a manner that provides for member review prior to a general business meeting.

Subsection 4.       Resolutions

a.                The Association may adopt resolutions.

b.                Resolutions shall be submitted to the Constitution, Bylaws and Resolutions Committee in a manner consistent with Article VIII, Section 1. 

c.                Adoption of Resolutions shall be at a general business meeting by a majority vote of members properly assembled.

d.                Adopted Resolutions shall be valid for a period not to exceed three (3) years after the date of presentation at a general business meeting.

e.                A copy of each Resolution shall be retained for historical purposes.

Section III.  Election of Officers

Subsection 1.       Candidates

a.                Members may nominate themselves or other members for Executive Committee Offices. 

b.                Nominees must submit nominations in writing as is prescribed in this Section to the Elections Committee Chair on or before April 1st.

Subsection 2.       Publication of Candidate Information

a.                The Elections Committee Chair shall see that the profile and platform of the candidates are provided on the Association website, and in any publication in a manner consistent with the policy established by the Board.

b.                Members who desire to be candidates and are eligible in accordance with Article II, Section 3, shall submit in writing on or before April 1st of the year seeking election to the Elections Committee the following:

i)                 Full Name

ii)                Office being sought

iii)              Profile of qualifications including platform which cannot exceed three hundred (300) words, and

iv)              Photo (optional).

c.                The Elections Committee shall validate the eligibility of candidates for the election in accordance with Article III.

Subsection 3.       Balloting Process

a.                For all Offices for which there are two (2) or more candidates, the Elections Committee shall conduct an election by mail or electronic ballot. Write in votes are not allowed.

b.                The Elections Committee shall establish and approve safeguards required to maintain the integrity of the balloting process prior to initiation of any balloting.

c.                The Elections Committee will prepare an email announcing the voting period to all voting eligible members forty-five (45) days prior to the polling period. 

i)                 The email will include the candidate names, links to the candidates’ profiles on the Association’s website, and links to Office responsibilities as reflected in the Constitution (Article II, Section 4). 

d.                The Elections Committee will create and present an electronic ballot to all voting, eligible members before 12:00pm EST on the Monday of the final full week of May.

e.                Polling is to remain open until 12:00pm EST on the Friday of the final full week of May.

f.                 The Elections Committee Chair will provide the Executive Committee and the candidates with “Unofficial Results” no later than the Tuesday following the polling period.

g.                The Executive Committee will review the results and, as needed, submit in writing instructions to the Elections Committee Chair to count ballots voided and include reason(s) for validation before 12:00pm EST on the Friday of the first full week of June.

Subsection 4.       No Contest Ballots

For any office for which there is only one (1) candidate, the Election Committee will prepare an email notification and electronic ballot as described in Bylaw Section III, Subsection 3 with a yes/no option.

Subsection 5.       Official Results

a.                Prior to a general business meeting, the full Elections Committee will meet to audit the process and certify the “Official Results.”

i)                 “Official Results” are defined as counts of all the ballots from an election, including the number of ballots distributed, number of ballots returned, number of ballots voided and reason(s) for the invalidation, and number of voided ballots determined valid and reason(s) for validation by the Executive Committee.

ii)                All of these ballots are totaled to arrive at the Official Results.

b.                Official Results of the vote will be presented to the membership during a general business meeting or via electronic method no later than June 30th.

c.                The candidate receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected.

d.                In the event of a tie vote, the Board shall decide the winner from the tied candidates in accordance with Article IV, Section 3, paragraph v).

Subsection 6.       Conduct of Elections and Disputes

The complete conduct of the elections and decisions in any matters of dispute that may arise during such elections shall be determined by the Elections Committee.

Subsection 7.       Election Campaign Practices

a.                Election campaigns are expected to be conducted ethically and with the highest integrity.

b.                Any questions concerning ethics of the campaign should be referred to the Elections Committee. 

c.                Candidates may “Campaign” through a candidate profile page on the Association’s website.

d.                No email blasts from the Association’s website or to member email addresses by candidates shall be tolerated.

e.                Candidate profiles may contain information outlined in Bylaws Section III, Subsection 2, paragraph b).

f.                 Candidate profile pages are subject to the approval of the Elections Committee.

Subsection 8.       Installation of Officers

The installation of Officers shall take place at a general business meeting or a virtual ceremony with appropriate ceremonies, and Officers shall swear to the following oath of office no later than October 1st:

"I (name) hereby swear (affirm) that I will support the constitution and bylaws and at all times bear true allegiance to the goals and purposes of FAA Pride I further swear (affirm) to perform the duties and responsibilities of my office to the best of my ability.”

Section IV.  Impeachment

Subsection 1.       Accusation

Any Active member may proffer charges of serious misconduct against a Board member. Such charges shall be in writing, signed by the accusing member and accompanied by a statement containing the specific facts supporting the charges. The statement shall include the date, place and time of the alleged misconduct, the names of all persons involved, and reference to specific article(s) and section(s) of this Constitution and or its Bylaws which allegedly have been violated. The charges and supporting statement shall be submitted to the Board (minus the accused) to determine whether they are valid. If the Board (minus the accused) determines the charges warrant further investigation, it shall prepare a written complaint and serve it upon the Board member against whom the charges were filed. The accused may respond to the Board in writing within thirty (30) days of receipt of the complaint. The complaint and response thereafter shall be mailed to the delegates from the last general business meeting who represented the Service Area of an accused Service Area Director, or to all delegates in a case concerning the President, Vice President, Secretary, or the Treasurer. Within thirty (30) days after receiving the complaint and response, each delegate shall advise the Board, in writing, whether they recommend continuing the impeachment process.

 

Subsection 2.       Process.

a.                If continuation of the impeachment process is recommended by a majority of the delegates responding, a committee consisting of three (3) Active members, who are not Board members, shall be appointed to conduct an impeachment hearing. Two (2) of the members of the hearing committee shall be appointed by the Board; the remaining member shall be appointed by the accused.

b.                The hearing committee shall provide the accused with at least twenty-one (21) days written notice of the date, time and place of the hearing. Such hearing shall be conducted no earlier than thirty (30) days and no later than sixty (60) days after the appointment of the hearing committee.

c.                The accused shall have the right to question all witnesses who may testify against her or them, to call witnesses and present evidence in her or his defense, and to be represented by an Active Employee Member.

d.                The Board shall appoint an Active Employee Member to prosecute the case.

e.                If the accused fails to appear without good cause at the scheduled hearing, the hearing committee shall proceed as if the accused were present.

f.                 A vote of 2 members of the hearing committee is necessary to remove the accused from office, or to censure, fine, suspend, expel or otherwise discipline the accused.

g.                No Board member may be tried twice concerning the same offense.

Section V.    Internal Grievances

Subsection 1.       Purpose

Should any Active member have any grievance or complaint concerning the actions of the Association, its Officers or any fellow member, the member shall raise that grievance under the provision of this Section and shall not resort to any outside forum to resolve the grievance.

Subsection 2.       Timeliness

Any Active Member may file a grievance within thirty (30) days of the event complained of by submitting to the Vice President a written specification of the acts complained of and a statement of the specific portions of this Constitution, duly promulgated bylaws, or the Association’s policies violated. Documented, substantiated proof must be offered (e.g., notarized affidavits, other documents).

Subsection 3.       Serving the Accused

The Vice-President shall serve a copy of the grievance on the accused member or Officer. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of the grievance, the accused may file with the Vice-President a written reply to the charges.

Subsection 4.       Presenting the Accusation

The Vice-President shall present the grievance along with any reply at the next meeting of the Board. The Executive Committee shall determine the final disposition of the grievance in accordance with Article IV, Section 3, paragraph v).

Subsection 5.       Disposition

The Executive Committee may:

a.                Censure members by providing, in writing, the accusation, and response of the Executive Committee.

b.                Reprimand members by providing, in writing, the accusation, and response of the Executive Committee with clearly defined prescription for satisfaction. (ie apologize to offended member(s))

c.                Remove members by providing in writing the accusation and response of the Executive Committee and request to the Membership Officer to initiate the removal/archival from membership rolls.

Subsection 6.       Appeal

Any party aggrieved by a final decision of the Executive Committee may petition the next general business meeting for relief, but the filing of such petition shall not stay the effectiveness of the final decision of the Executive Committee. The decision of the delegates, by majority vote, shall be final.

 

 

Date approved by the members_____May 31, 2022_________________

 

 

 


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