ARTICLE I - NAME AND CHARTER
The name of the organization shall be the New England
Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials
Managers (the Chapter). The Chapter is a nonprofit
organization, domiciled in the state of Massachusetts.
The Chapter includes members from the states of Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
On receipt and maintenance of a formal Chapter, the Charter
will be considered an area/local chapter of the Academy of
Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (the Academy), which
is domiciled in the state of Maryland.ARTICLE II -
PURPOSE AND MISSION
The Academy is a professional membership organization for
Certified Hazardous Materials Managers (CHMMs). Academy
chapters are organized to provide CHMMs and other members
with an environment fostering professional development
through continuing education, peer-group interaction, and
exchange of ideas and information relating to hazardous
materials management. The Chapter's mission is to provide a balanced program for
its members in at least the following five areas:
- Environmental Health and Safety
- Regulatory Compliance and Policy
- Science and Technology
- Hazardous Materials Handling, Emergency Response and
Remediation
- Strategic Environmental Management
This mission will be fulfilled by:
- Professional recognition of CHMMs
- Providing, promoting, and encouraging continuing education
to achieve and maintain certification and to document
Chapter-recognized related training.
- Providing a forum for information exchange among peers to
promote qualified environmental decision making.
- Broadening the CHMM scope and understanding of prudent
hazardous materials' management, in the interest of
protecting human health and the environment.
- Increasing knowledge and experience related to new
technologies, government regulations and community awareness
relating to hazardous materials' management.
The Chapter acknowledges the Institute of Hazardous
Materials Management Code of Ethics for CHMMs and will
promote them to Chapter members and all CHMMs.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Members in good standing shall be those members who have
fulfilled all obligations to the Chapter and to the Academy
in the case of certified members. Upon completion of the
Chapter membership application and payment of Chapter dues
members will be categorized as follows. Classification:
Chapter members shall be classified as
either Certified or Affiliate.
- Certified Members: Any CHMM shall be eligible to become a
Certified Member of the Chapter. To qualify for the grade of
Certified Member, a person shall have achieved certification
as a hazardous materials manager at any level, as defined by
the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management.
- Affiliate Members: A person with an interest in the field
of hazardous materials management who does not meet the
definition of a Certified Member may be an Affiliate Member.
At the discretion of the Board of Directors, subcategories
of Affiliate Members may be created, such as, but not
limited to, Student, Corporate, Inactive or Honorary Member.
Rights of Members: Certified Members shall be entitled to:
- Vote for elective positions, changes to the By-Laws, and
dissolution of the Chapter.
- Hold an elective or appointed office in the Chapter.
- Receive official Chapter publications.
- Attend and participate in Chapter meetings.
- Other rights as the Board of Directors may determine.
Affiliate Members shall be entitled to:
- Hold an appointed office in the Chapter.
- Vote for elective positions.
- Receive official Chapter publications.
- Attend and participate in Chapter meetings.
- Other rights as the Board of Directors may determine other
than holding elective office, and voting for changes to the
By-Laws and dissolution of the Chapter.
Application for Membership: All applicants must complete and
submit a Chapter Membership Application with the stipulated
dues to the Secretary of the Chapter. Dues: Membership dues and/or other fees of the Chapter shall
be established by the Board of Directors. Revocation of Membership: Chapter membership may be revoked
by a two-thirds vote of the full Board of Directors. Reasons
for revocation shall be kept confidential and shall be of
the nature of members not being in good standing, conducting
themselves in a way detrimental to the Chapter, and a breech
of the CHMM Code of Ethics. ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
All Officers shall be Certified Members in good standing
with the Academy. They shall be responsible for the
day-to-day management of Chapter affairs, implementation of
policy set by the Board of Directors, and execution of the
Annual Operating plan. Officers' Duties: There shall be four elective Officers.
Their terms of office and duties are listed below.
- President: The president, elected to serve one year,
presides over Chapter meetings and interfaces with other
chapters, the Academy, and other environmental
organizations. All committees report to the President, who
is responsible for day-to-day Chapter management. In the
absence of the Treasurer, the President shall disburse funds
to pay Chapter obligations.
- Vice-President (President-Elect): The vice-president, who
is elected to serve one year and expected to serve as
President the following year, presides over Chapter meetings
in the absence of the President and ensures the development
and execution of an appropriate annual educational program
for the Chapter.
- Secretary: The secretary, who is elected to a term of two
years in alternating years from the Treasurer, documents
Chapter meetings, maintains and updates Chapter records and
mailing lists, documents Chapter-sponsored training, and
manages mailing of official notices to the membership.
- Treasurer: The treasurer, who is elected to a term of two
years in alternating years from the Secretary manages the
finances of the chapter. Specific duties include:
documenting Chapter membership, managing the Chapter's
financial affairs, maintaining the Chapter's financial
records, mailing invoices, paying obligations, collecting
receivables, making bank deposits, and interfacing with
applicable government entities to maintain the Chapter's
nonprofit and corporate status.
- Immediate Past President: The responsibility of this
un-elected position, which is assumed by the previous year's
President, is to recruit Chapter members and assist the
Board of Directors in achieving Chapter objectives.
Removal of Officers: Officers may be removed from office by
a two-thirds vote by the full Board of Directors. Reasons
for removal shall be kept confidential and shall be of the
nature of not being in good standing, conducting themselves
in a way detrimental to the Chapter, non-fulfillment of
responsibilities as an officer, or breech of the CHMM Code
of Ethics. The Board of Directors shall provide the Officer
the opportunity to resign prior to any official action.
ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Chapter shall be governed by a Board of Directors (the
Board) of at least seven members including the four elective
Officers, the immediate past President (except in the first
year of Chapter operation), and at least two
Directors-At-Large. The President shall be the Chairperson
of the Board. All Directors shall be Certified Members in
good standing with the Academy. The Directors-At-Large shall
be elected to a one-year term. The Board shall annually plan and structure Chapter
operations in the form of an Operating Plan. This
responsibility shall include the following:
- Setting objectives
- Developing a yearly calendar of activities
- Developing an annual budget
- Setting dues for each classification
- Any other planning that will forward Chapter growth
The Operating Plan shall be adopted by the Board by a
majority vote and presented to the general membership at the
first general membership meeting of the calendar year. Any
proposed unplanned expenditure, not included in the
Operating Plan as adopted by the Board and presented to the
general membership, shall be adopted by a majority vote of
the members present at a general membership meeting,
consistent with the requirements of Article VIII. The Board is charged with the responsibility of setting
policy for the Chapter. Other responsibilities shall be the
revocation of membership and the removal of Officers
consistent with the language in Articles III and IV
respectively. For decision making, a quorum shall be a majority of the
Board of Directors. All decisions shall be by a majority
vote of the Board. The Board has the right to bring issues to the general
membership for discussion and decision- making vote. The
membership shall be notified, in writing, of such issues 10
days prior to the date of discussion and the decision-making
vote. ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS
The elections for Officers and Directors shall be held on an
annual basis prior to the last regular meeting of the
Chapter in the current term. The new term of office will
begin on January 1 of the following year. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee to
develop a slate of officers for presentation to the
membership. Nominations will be solicited from the floor at
a meeting of the general membership held prior to October 1
in the current year. Ballots shall be immediately mailed out
to all members in good standing. Such ballots shall
stipulate a deadline for the return of completed ballots. Ballots shall be returned to the Immediate Past President
who, with the Secretary, will be responsible for tallying
the vote. The election results shall be reported by the
Immediate Past President to the membership no later than
November 15 of the year in which the election is held. Officers and directors shall be elected by a majority of the
votes cast by those members who return completed ballots by
the deadline stipulated. In the event that no candidate
receives a majority of the votes cast on the first ballot, a
runoff election shall be held between the two candidates
receiving the greatest number of votes. Until such time as
elections are completed the officers shall hold their posts. If any officer is unable to maintain his/her position during
his/her term of office, the Board of Directors shall appoint
an individual to maintain the position for the duration of
the term. The Secretary shall report results of each election to the
Academy no later than December 30 of the year in which the
elections were held. ARTICLE VII - ADMINISTRATION
The Board of Directors shall govern the organization. The
Officers shall manage the day-to-day affairs of the Chapter. Committees shall be formed to conduct the work of the
Chapter. Before the Chapter publishes or otherwise issues publicly
any statement upon a policy matter which purports to
represent the opinion of the Academy, it must first obtain
the written consent of the Academy. Before any member
publishes or otherwise issues publicly any statement upon a
policy matter that purports to represent the opinion of the
Chapter, the person shall first obtain the written approval
of the Board of Directors. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all Board meetings
and shall at least review the minutes of the previous
meeting at the beginning of the following meeting. The
Secretary shall also record minutes of the debate and vote
on decisions made at any general membership meeting. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all monies of the
Chapter. The signature of the Treasurer is required for
disbursement of any funds. At each general membership
meeting of the Chapter the Treasurer shall make a report on
the financial condition of the Chapter. In the absence of
the Treasurer, the President shall disburse funds to pay the
obligations of the Chapter. The Chapter shall take no action in conflict with any
existing standard, policy, rule, or directive of the
Academy. The four Standing Committees shall conduct the work of the
Chapter. Committee chairpersons are expected to serve for a
period of at least one-year. The President shall appoint
committee chairpersons for the following standing
committees: Government Affairs: This committee is the focal point for
communication to the Chapter on actions, proposed or
otherwise, taken at all levels of government in regard to
management of hazardous materials. The chairperson is
encouraged to be a member of the National Government Affairs
Committee and shall conduct the chapter committee efforts in
concert with the National Academy. Professional Development: Continuing education of the CHMM
is an important part of the fulfillment of the Chapter's
Mission. This committee will develop the educational
programs for the Chapter meetings, as well as any other
programs that can be used to further the exchange of
information and ideas. Public Relations and Marketing:
The primary purpose of this
committee is the establishment and maintenance of a positive
impression of the CHMM certification, the membership, and
the Academy. This committee will focus on efforts that will
increase the awareness of the CHMM program and attract new
members. A decided campaign of news releases, public
speaking, and promotional literature distribution will be
used as part of the strategy. Membership Development:
Working with the immediate Past
President, this committee recruits new members for the
Chapter. The committee will develop and execute recruiting
plans including the direct mail, telephone campaigns, and
membership incentive. The President or the Board can appoint additional
committees, or ad-hoc committees, as may be required to
conduct Chapter business. ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS
Board of Directors: There shall be at least four planning
meetings of the Board of Directors per year. These meetings
may be held either before or after the general membership
meetings. The Chairperson of the Board shall set the time
and place of each meeting. A quorum is required to conduct
Chapter business. Committee Chairpersons shall be invited to
attend Board meetings. All meeting dates will be preceded by
a notice to all Directors and Committee Chairs at least 10
days in advance of the meeting, except for special meetings
called by the Board of Directors. General Membership: There shall be at least four general
membership meetings per year consisting of a professional
development program and a business portion to inform the
Chapter. One meeting shall include the nomination of
officers. The Board of Directors shall approve the time and
place of each meeting. Members will be notified at least ten
days prior to any general membership meeting. Agenda: The following items shall be on each general
membership meeting agenda.
- Call to order
- Approval of minutes of the last meeting, if applicable
- Reports of Officers and actions taken
- Reports of Committees and actions taken
- Educational program
- Announcement of next meeting date and adjournment
Quorum Defined: A quorum for conducting business at a
general membership meeting requires five members of the
Board of Directors and three Certified Members (total
number, eight). Parliamentary Procedures: The latest edition of Roberts
Rules of Order shall be the official parliamentary procedure
guide for the conduct of business meetings.
ARTICLE IX - DISSOLUTION OF THE CHAPTER
If, at any time, the Chapter shall be dissolved, no part of
the funds or property shall be distributed to or among the
members. After payment of all Chapter indebtedness, its
surplus and properties shall be distributed, consistent with
the mission of the Chapter, as decided by a majority vote of
the members and in accordance with the requirements of the
federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the
chapter. ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the By-Laws may be presented by any Certified
Member in good standing at any general membership meeting or
at any meeting called for that specific purpose. A notice of
the proposed amendment(s) shall be transmitted to all
members, in writing, at least 21 days prior to the meeting
at which voting will take place. The agenda at such meeting
shall make provision for discussion and debate prior to a
vote. The Chapter shall make Provisions for absentee voting. A two-thirds affirmative vote by the Certified Membership is
necessary to change the By-Laws. The votes counted shall be
the sum of the absentee votes and the votes cast at the
meeting. The Chapter shall forward any proposed modification to the
Chapter By-Laws to the Academy for review and consent (given
in writing) prior to any final acceptance. Final copies of
by-laws modifications shall be provided to the Academy as
soon as accepted by the membership. ARTICLE XI - PUBLICATIONS
The Chapter may circulate official publications to all its
members. The Board shall determine the frequency. Their
purpose should be to report professional and/or
organizational activities to the Chapter. All Chapter
publications will be sent to the Academy when issued to
Chapter members by including the Academy's office address in
the mailing list of the Chapter. ARTICLE XII - ACADEMY AFFILIATION
The Chapter recognizes the Academy as the force of cohesion
between all local chapters. The Chapter will operate in a
manner that will ensure that the standards set forth by the
Academy will be met. The Chapter will ensure that the most
current copy of the signed and dated Chapter By-Laws are on
file at the Academy office and will submit to the Academy
office an annual report on the required form provided by the
Academy. In return, the Chapter expects to receive all
consideration and benefits of an Academy Chapter in good
standing. These By-Laws of the Chapter are effective on [insert
effective date] as approved by the membership of the Chapter
and attested to by the current Officers of the Chapter as
noted to below by signature: John H. Mitchell, President __________________________
Brenda Pope, Vice-President ___________________________
Phyllis Carter, Secretary ___________________________
Gretchen Franzheim, Treasurer ___________________________ |
