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Standing
Rules
Thousand
Island
Voyageurs
Introduction
This
process is known by many names; Policy & Procedures; Operational
Policy or, as in this case, Standing Rules. Without a written
organizational plan, chaos is the result. In a volunteer
environment, organizational policy is critical. Without it, the result
is a few people carrying a large burden instead of many volunteers
sharing equally small responsibilities.
Standing Rules do not relate to parliamentary procedures, as do
bylaws, but refer to operating procedure. They are adopted by a majority
vote either by the membership, Executive Board, or committee and may be
amended by a two-thirds vote without previous notice or by a majority
vote with such notice. Standing Rules may be temporarily suspended for
the duration of a meeting by a simple majority vote.
Rules & procedures that the Chapter may not wish to put in
bylaws may be created as needed by the Chapter and recorded in Standing
Rules. While Standing Rules are not the same as bylaws, they should not
be used to circumvent bylaws and, the Chapter should use discretion to
ensure that a rule is really necessary and not frivolous.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Authorities
& Responsibilities
In
addition to duties and responsibilities imposed by the Membership
at-large, there are also duties imposed by the Executive Board and the
Governing Board of FMCA National.
1.
Executive Board
The Executive Board receives its authority from the Chapter membership.
It is chaired by the President of the Chapter. The Executive Board is
composed of the following:
·
President
· Immediate
Past President
· VP –
Canada
· VP –
USA
· Secretary
· Treasurer
· VP –
Membership
· VP – Media
and Communications
· National
Director
· Alternate
National Director
The Executive Board shall:
i. review and approve
committees recommended by the President
ii. resolve questions not required to come
before the general membership.
iii. meet a minimum of twice a year or, as
called by the President or any three (3) sitting officers.
iv. make recommendations for action to the
membership.
v. approve disbursements up to five hundred
dollars ($500.00) for normal operational requirements.
2.
President
Duties
& Authority:
1.
is the Chief Executive Officer of the Chapter and exercises
supervision and control of the affairs and the business of the Chapter.
2.
is responsible for the maintenance and update of the
President’s Handbook as well as all other Handbooks distributed to
other officers of the chapter.
3.
The Chapter President is responsible for overseeing the
duties and responsibilities of all the other chapter officers ensuring
they are performed in a timely manner in accordance with the Chapter’s
and FMCA’s requirements.
4.
The Chapter President receives all Governing Board mailings
to help keep the chapter officers informed on national FMCA activities.
5.
The Chapter President should see that all needed committees
are duly elected or appointed.
6.
The Chapter President is responsible for annually requesting
the free offer giving from FMCA National. The request must be made six
to twelve weeks in advance of the opening day of the rally.
7.
The President is responsible for the agenda of all Executive
and General Membership meetings and will preside over those meetings as
Chair in the normal course of business.
8.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
9.
promotes the welfare of the Chapter;
10.
is an ex-officio voting member of all committees , except the
Nominating Committee
11.
Issues
directives and guidelines to fulfill the duties of office.
3.
Immediate Past President
Duties & Authority:
1. act in an advisory
capacity to the standing Chapter President for the period of one year.
4.
VP –
Canada
(Senior/Junior)
Duties & Authority:
1.
assist the President and perform the duties assigned by the
President.
2.
alternate the Senior/Junior positions as Vice presidents in
accordance with the chapter bylaws.
3.
prepare to assume the duties of the President in the absence
of the President
4.
be responsible for all rallies held in
Canada
by the
Chapter.
5.
arrange for Rally Hosts and Chapter business meeting sites
for the operational year, May through October.
6.
assist the Rally Hosts in all ways possible to assure
successful rallies.
7.
assume the custodial duties of the Chapter Property retaining
full responsibility in
Canada
as
assigned.
8.
assure that rally fees and disbursements are properly
reported to the Treasurer.
9.
participate in at least one committee for one year.
10.
co-maintain the Chapter document ‘Official Rally Guide’
11.
co-coordinate and co-manage the duties & authority of the
ex-officio position ‘Rally Host’
12.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
5.
VP –
USA
(Senior/Junior)
Duties & Authority:
1.
alternate the Senior/Junior positions as Vice president in
accordance with the Chapter bylaws.
2.
prepare to assume the duties of the President and the Senior
VP in their absence
3.
be responsible for all rallies held in the
USA
on behalf
of the Chapter.
4.
arrange for Rally Hosts and meeting sites for the year from
May through October.
5.
assist Rally Hosts in all ways possible to assure successful
rallies.
6.
assume the custodial duties of the Chapter property retaining
full responsibility in the
USA
as
assigned.
7.
assure that rally fees and disbursements are properly
reported to the Treasurer.
8.
participate in at least one committee for one year.
9.
co-maintain the Chapter document ‘Official Rally Guide’
10.
co-coordinate and co-manage the duties & authority of the
ex-officio position ‘Rally Host’
11.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
6.
Secretary
Duties & Authority:
1.
record in a Chapter Minute Book, the proceedings of all
meetings of the Chapter’s membership and its Executive Board. These
minutes shall be read and approved at the next meeting, unless said
reading is waived by majority vote. Minutes of all meetings are kept
available in the event a member of the Chapter desires to read them.
2.
facilitate communications between the Executive Board, its
members and within the general membership.
3.
manage and maintain business contact/communications for the
Chapter.
4.
update and maintain the Chapter Standing Rules .
5.
update and maintain the Chapter Bylaws.
6.
provide procedural guidance for all committees.
7.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
7.
Treasurer
Duties & Authority;
1.
receive, hold and safeguard in the capacity of trustee
and fiscal agent of the Chapter, all of its funds which shall come into
your control.
2.
disburse funds only for authorized Chapter business. Any
disbursements in excess of $500 shall be authorized by the general
membership only at a regular, annual or special meeting
3.
make a financial report at each meeting of the membership.
4.
develop, support and maintain a simple
procurement/disbursement process and explain same in a written
procedure.
5.
deliver to an incoming Treasurer, all monies, vouchers,
books, records and papers of the Chapter in custody after audit and
immediately upon expiration of term of office. Chapter funds shall be
deposited in a federally insured bank in the name of the Thousand Island
Voyageurs – FMCA
6.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
8.
VP – Membership
Duties & Authority:
1.
assume the duties of the President in he absence of the
President and/or Senior and/or Junior Vice Presidents.
2.
maintain the membership database.
3.
chair the Membership Committee and report its activity to
membership.
4.
recruit, meet, greet and introduce new or potential new
members.
5.
upon payment of duties by a new member, notify the VP –
Media and
Communications/Webmaster to update the mailing list.
6.
notify the Secretary to update the certified membership list.
7.
send payments to the Treasurer to be deposited.
8.
order and maintain inventory of chapter marketing supplies
including but not limited to caps, badges, t-shirts etc.
9.
coordinate and oversee an ex-officio position
‘Procurement’, at your discretion.
10.
coordinate and oversee an ex-officio position
‘Historian’, at your discretion.
11.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
9.
VP – Media and Communications
Duties & Authority:
1.
obtain information from other Chapter officers pertaining to
Chapter activities, past, present and future rallies, and assemble this
data into a Chapter Membership Newsletter. Returned copies are to be
referred to the VP – Membership.
2.
contact all Executive Board members and remind them to send
in their articles for publication.
3.
develop a newsletter by the 15th of the month
April – October
4.
distribute all newsletters either by direct mail, email or
text.
5.
coordinate and manage an ex-officio position ‘Webmaster’
6.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
10.
National Director
Duties & Authority:
1.
keep the Chapter informed of all actions taken at the
Governing Board and committee meetings and any other information
regarding FMCA operation.
2.
Simplifies the Process! It is the responsibility of
each Chapter officer to help the next volunteer to hold this position by
finding ways to make the current ‘job’ easier. The purpose of the
Officer Handbook is to put the ‘learned’ practices and processes in
writing. This is the most important contribution any officer can make to
the Chapter. This duty includes but is not limited to:
•
Maintaining their handbook, keeping it up-to-date, always!
• Sharing
ideas in a positive and constructive manner.
•
Supporting fellow officers, for the benefit of the membership.
• Support
Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules.
11.
Alternate National Director
Duties & Authority:
1.
fulfill the duties of the National Director when required.
Ex-Officio
Department Heads Authorities & Responsibilities
1.
Historian
Duties & Authority (reporting to VP - Membership)
1. Take digital pictures
at all chapter rallies. Download same to disc with copy(s) to
Newsletter/Webmaster and file.
2.
Procurement Officer
Duties & Authority (reporting to VP - Membership)
1. Secure
arrangements with a stamp/badge maker for chapter badge procurement for
membership, and manage same.
2.
secure all FMCA insignia, signs materials provided chapter operations.
3. in coordination
with the chapter Webmaster, maintain any electronic storefronts.
3. Webmaster
Duties & Authority
4.
Rally Host
Duties & Authority
Standing
Rules
In
the general course of operations, Chapter’s pass motions, the
executive Board establishes new procedures, and Chapter committees
provide guidelines to improve their own operations. This is where the
procedure is finally recorded for future reference. Standing Rules are
maintained by the Chapter Secretary.
Advances
The
Executive Board has authority for expenditures up to $500 per event. The
Chapter Treasurer has a process in place to facilitate advances for
Chapter requirements by any Chapter Vice President
Badges
The
chapter does not provide badges for new members. They must be ordered
using the form provided by Procurement/Membership.
Committees
Membership
The Membership Committee shall conduct an active
program to secure new members for the
FMCA and this chapter. In
addition they will actively assist the Vice President Membership in
meeting, greeting and introducing new members.
By Laws
The Bylaw Committee will conduct an annual review of Chapter Bylaws and
Standing Rules to
ensure they are compatible, current, and in accordance with the needs of
the membership. As a
result of any review, the committee may submit recommendations to the
Executive Board for further
action.
Audit
The Audit Commi8ttee shall perform an annual audit of the Chapter
records retained by the
Treasurer
and report findings to the Executive Board or membership.
Parking
The
Parking Committee shall take charge of parking at all Chapter rallies.
Duties include:
- Arrive
at rally site at least one (1) day in advance to layout plans and
procedures
- Implement
standing rules & bylaws relating to rally parking.
- Direct
and assist members to their assigned parking places
- Extra
parking charges resulting from early arrival of up to three (3)
parking committee members
will be paid by the Chapter.
- Parking
of coaches at all TIV rallies shall provide for each and every
vehicle to have access to a
convenient exit unhindered by the presence of other vehicles for
emergency purposes.
Dues
Annual
dues for family and emeritus members are $10.00 per coach per year which
includes up to two persons.
The Chapter initiation fee is $5.00 per coach to offset member
setup expenses. Membership dues are changed by a simple majority vote of
members making up a quorum at a regular general meeting of the Chapter.
Criteria to be exempt from yearly Chapter dues include - Awarded
Life Membership by the Chapter Board
Member
Emeritus
A
member who no longer owns a qualifying coach, who meets the requirements
of Chapter by-laws, and who wishes to remain a Chapter member may apply
for and be granted Member Emeritus by the Chapter board.
Meeting
Eligibility
Any
member of FMCA is privileged to attend open meetings of this chapter.
Rallies
1.
Door
Prizes –
the Chapter may provide up to $00 per rally for door prizes, if
required.
2.
Refund
Policy - financial problems arise for Rally Masters when members make
reservations and then, without notification, do not show up for the
rally. If the Chapter is required to pay for a service or commodity for
the member, based on a reservation, then the member is liable for the
amount.
Ø
Rally
Fee Refund - If a rally fee does not involve any outside contractors, the
rally fee will be refunded in full if a reservation is cancelled before
or after the reservation deadline.
Ø
Parking
Fee Refund - Parking fees are usually assessed, on a physical count of
the motor homes each day. In this case, the entire parking fee will be
refunded. Should the Chapter be charged, based on a reserved number of
parking spaces, then the member will be charged accordingly.
Ø
Food
Refund - If a food provider’s charges are based on the number of
meals or portions served, then the food fee for those meals will be
refunded. If a food provider’s charges are based on the number of
meals or portions ordered, as with a caterer, then the food fee for
those meals will not be refunded. If a meal is provided by the rally
committee, the food fee for those meals will not be refunded.
Ø
Cancellation
Notice - if a member cancellation is communicated to the Rally Master
not later than the day before the final number of meals is required, the
Rally Master may refund the charges for these meals.
Reports
& Minutes
The
Board minutes, General Meeting Minutes and Treasurer’s Reports of the
previous rally are to be made readily available to members at the next
rally.
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