PALM VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED SCHOOL PERSONNEL
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
ARTICLE l: NAME
The name of the organization shall be the Palm Valley Association of Retired School Personnel as a unit of the Texas Retired Teachers Association.
ARTICLE Il: PURPOSE
The purpose of the organization shall be:
Section 1: to promote the professional, economic, intellectual, social and healthful well-being of retired school personnel;
Section 2: to provide and maintain a functional and united organization for all retired school personnel;
Section 3: to cooperate with other associations of retired school personnel and with other associations of retired persons in solving problems of mutual concern; and
Section 4: to encourage retired school personnel to give voluntarily of their time, talents, training and experience in order to further education and civic endeavors in the community, the state and the nation.
ARTICLE Ill: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Any retired school personnel who is an annuitant of or who shall be eligible to receive annuity benefits from a teacher retirement system may become a member of the Palm Valley Association of Retired School Personnel and the Texas Teachers Association upon payment of dues.
Section 2: Any person deemed by the Association to have an active interest in promoting the purposes of the organization may become an associate member of the Palm Valley Association of Retired School Personnel and the Texas Retired Teachers Association upon payment of dues. Any associate member who joined on or before July of 2004 shall pay only Local dues. Associate members who joined after July of 2004 must pay both State and Local dues. Associate members shall have all the rights and privileges of membership except the right to vote and to hold office.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Section 1: The officers of this Association must be active members and shall be of two kinds: elected and appointed.
Section 2: The elected officers who constitute the Executive Board shall be as follows:
President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
ARTICLE V: ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE
Section 1: The Nominating Committee Chairman shall be appointed by the President in November. A Nominating Committee appointed by the Nominating Committee Chairman shall present a slate of candidates for each elected office at the January meeting of the Association. The slate shall be voted upon at the February meeting, be installed at the May meeting and assume office on June 1. At the time of the slate presentation, nomination for any elected office may be made from the floor, provided that the consent of the nominees has been obtained.
Section 2: All officers shall be elected for one year (June through May) and may serve for an additional consecutive term, with the exception of the Treasurer, who may serve additional terms if deemed and approved by the membership.
Section 3: A vacancy occurring in the office of the Presidency shall be filled by the elected officers in the order of listing in Article IV, Sec. 2.
Section 4: A vacancy occurring in any other office shall be filled by an appointee of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
Section 1: The regular meeting of the Association shall be held once each month from September to May.
Section 2: Special meetings may be called by the President or at the request of 10% of the active membership.
Section 3: Meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President whenever necessary.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1: Committees of the Association shall be of three kinds: Standing, Special and Elected. All Chairmen must be active members.
Section 2: Standing Committees appointed by the Executive Board shall be as follows: Community Volunteer Service, Legislative, Informative and Protective Services, Retirement Education and Health Care.
Section 3: Special committees shall be appointed by the Executive Board or by the President as the need arises and may include, but not be limited to: Auditing, Constitution and Bylaws, Yearbook, Communication and Scholarship
Section 4: A Nominating Committee shall be appointed as outlined in Article V, Sec. 1.
ARTICLE VIII: AMMENDMENTS
Section 1: The Constitution and Bylaws of the Association may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active members present. Amendments recommended by a special Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Executive Board must be made available to the members prior to the meeting at which the vote is taken.
Section 2: Revisions in wording for the purposes of clarification may be made for the special Constitution and Bylaws Committee with the approval of the Executive Board.
Section 3: The Constitution and Bylaws of the local Association will be automatically changed to conform to certain basic changes in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Texas
Retired Teachers Association.
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I: DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
Section 1: The President will preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Board and shall approve the payment of all bills authorized by the Association. The President shall be ex-officio member of committees except the Nominating Committee and shall perform other duties necessary to carry out the purposes of the Association. The President and the Executive Board shall appoint all Committee Chairmen.
Section 2: The First Vice-President shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President or at the request of the President and shall assist in all other duties when necessary. The First Vice-President shall preside over membership.
Section 3: The Second Vice-President shall promote public relations, publicity and the Children's Book Project and shall preside at meetings in the absence of the President and First Vice-President.
Section 4: The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of meetings of the membership, submit a copy of the minutes to the President within a reasonable time after meetings and conduct Association correspondence requested by the President.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the Association, depositing them in a bank approved by the Executive Board in the name of the Association, shall remit payment for all bills authorized by the President and shall remit payment for annual membership dues to the Texas Retired Teachers Association. The Treasurer shall assist in budget preparation, keep financial records and render a financial report at regular meetings.
Section 6: The Historian shall keep a permanent record, including a scrapbook of activities and accomplishments of the Association.
Section 7: The Parliamentarian shall be familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and shall see that all meetings are conducted in accordance with the latest revision of Robert's Rules of Order.
ARTICLE II: DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1: The Executive Board shall transact the urgent business of the Association between regular membership meetings subject to the Constitution and Bylaws.
Section 2: The Executive Board shall make recommendations to the membership at regular meetings.
ARTICLE Ill: DUTIES OF COMMITTEES
Section 1: Each Standing Committee Chairman shall report accomplishments at the request of the President.
Section 2: The Health Care Committee shall provide members with information on current health issues and shall plan one Health Care Program annually.
Section 3: The Community Volunteer Service Committee shall keep a record of the volunteer hours submitted by members and shall suggest ways in which members may serve.
Section 4: The Legislative Committee shall keep the Association informed of the implications of any legislation that will have an impact for retirees.
Section 5: The Informative and Protective Services Committee shall provide members with current information concerning their needs and safety.
Section 6: The Retirement Education Committee shall inform active as well as retired personnel about planning for retirement by conducting workshops or by other methods.
Section 7: The Auditing Committee shall make an annual end-of-fiscal year audit of the Treasurer's records and shall report results of the audit to the membership at the September meeting of the Association.
Section 8: The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall review the Constitution and Bylaws, suggest needed revisions and incorporate amendments when approved by membership vote.
Section 9: The Program Committee shall plan programs for the regular membership meetings of the Association and for any special meetings as the Executive Board may direct.
Section 10: The Yearbook Committee shall be responsible for editing and printing an annual booklet containing an up-to-date roster of members, programs and other information approved by the Executive Board.
Section 11: The Communication Committee shall contact membership prior to regular and special meetings to verify meeting dates, times and locations and to relate other information requested by the President.
Section 12: The Scholarship Committee shall be responsible for distributing scholarship applications to area high schools, collecting the scholarship applications and choosing one or more scholarship recipients to receive a minimum of $500.00 each plus a framed certificate of recognition.
ARTICLE IV: FISCAL, YEAR, DUES
Section 1: The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on June 1 and close May 31.
Section 2: Current membership dues for the ensuing year shall be payable on or before the September meeting of the year closing.
ARTICLE V: QUORUM
Section 1: A quorum of the Association for the transaction of business during a regular or special meeting shall consist of a majority of the voting members present.
Section 2: A quorum of the Executive Board shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board.
POLICIES OF THE PALM VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED SCHOOL PERSONNEL ADDENDA
Although official action establishing certain policies may be found recorded in minutes of the Association, the following addenda are attached to the Constitution and Bylaws making the information readily available to officers and leaders.
1. Only cards (not flowers or gifts) shall be sent to members who are ill.
2. Upon the death of a member, a memorial gift of $15 shall be made to the Palm Valley Association of Retired School Personnel Scholarship Fund or other entities deemed appropriate by the Executive Board.
3. Health equipment belonging to the organization shall be lent to members or their immediate families or to non-members. The Health Care Committee Chairman will be responsible for the issuing of equipment.
4. The Association shall contribute toward officers' expenses to the annual convention of the Texas Retired Teachers Association. Priorities as to delegate Choice shall be assigned to officers in order of listing in the Constitution.
5. The Association shall present a Past-President's pin to the retiring President of the Local Unit. The First Vice-President and Treasurer shall be responsible for ordering the pin. The incoming President shall be presented with the President's Pin, which shall be passed on to the next President.
Source: Yearbook 2018-2019