Washington State NENA Chapter
Constitution
WASHINGTON STATE CHAPTER
OF THE
NATIONAL EMERGENCY
NUMBER ASSOCIATION
“NENA”
“One Nation * 9-1-1 * One Number”
OF THE
NATIONAL EMERGENCY
NUMBER ASSOCIATION
“NENA”
“One Nation * 9-1-1 * One Number”
ARTICLE I – PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY
Section 1. Name and General Membership Requirement
This organization shall be known as the Washington State Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (herein referred to as the “Chapter”).
Its membership shall be open to all persons of good character who meet the membership requirements of this Constitution and/or Bylaws adopted pursuant thereto.
Section 2. Purpose
The purpose of the Chapter shall be to:
A. Foster the development, availability and implementation of a universal emergency telephone number common to all jurisdictions by means of research, planning, training and education; represent its members before communications regulatory agencies and policy making bodies as may be appropriate, and through its efforts strive toward citizens having immediate access to emergency public safety services to the end that the safety of human life, the protection of property and the civic welfare are benefited to the utmost degree;
B. Aid and assist in the timely collection and dissemination of information relating to the universal emergency telephone number;
C. May prepare, publish and distribute or cause to be prepared, published and distributed. This publication could contain technical, administrative, operational, training, and educational information considered of interest to the membership of this Chapter of NENA and to other people who are interested in the field of public safety emergency communications;
D. Establish and maintain an office, if deemed necessary and appropriate, wherein shall be housed its staff, files, records, equipment and those functions necessary for the adequate management of the Chapter’s activities; and
E. Provide for membership in this Chapter in accordance with the language and intent of its Constitution and Bylaws which are now, and may later be in effect. Membership shall not be limited other than by classification and good character and shall have such rights and privileges by classifications as may be provided from time to time in keeping with the state of development of the art of public safety emergency communications.
ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership Designations
The membership of this Chapter shall be divided into the classes as outlined in the NENA bylaws. These classes are ACTIVE, COMMERCIAL and ASSOCIATE.
Members shall be admitted in accordance with the classification requirements set forth in this article. Membership shall not be denied on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age or numerical limitation. All members are eligible to serve on committees if appointed.
1.1 Active Member
The following shall be eligible for ACTIVE membership in the Chapter: Any Administrative, supervisory and telecommunications personnel responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling and operating functions required in the design, promotion, construction, installation, maintenance, command and/or operation of public safety emergency communications systems who are employed and salaried by federal, state or local government agency, or an agency substantially supported by government funds, or who serve on the Board of Directors of an Emergency Communications District or other “911” agency established in accordance with Washington State law.
1.2 Commercial Member
The following shall be eligible for Commercial membership in this Chapter: Those persons in the business sector who receive the majority of their compensation from the design, manufacture, sale, service, maintenance, lease, rental or promotion of equipment or systems which are used or can be used in public safety emergency systems; and those persons who are engaged in writing, publishing, advising and consulting in the public safety emergency communications field, or who distribute goods and represent companies, firms, or persons including themselves and others who profit materially from such activities.
1.3 Associate Member
Those persons not eligible for, or restricted from the ACTIVE or COMMERCIAL classes of membership shall be eligible for ASSOCIATE membership.
Section 2. DUES
The dues rate for each class of membership in this Chapter are set forth in the NENA Bylaws Article V.
Section 3. Voting and Officer Restrictions
3.1 Only ACTIVE and COMMERCIAL members, as defined herein above, in good standing, may vote for and hold elected positions in the Chapter except for President.
3.2 A member “in good standing” is defined as any member whose payment of dues is current.
ARTICLE III – OFFICERS
Section 1. Designation
The officers of the Chapter shall consist of the following: President, Vice President – Eastern, Vice President – Western, Treasurer, and Secretary.
All offices will be filled by election at the first annual conference of the Chapter. A succession of officers as set forth in Bylaws Article II requires the election of all offices except President at subsequent annual conferences.
The term of office for the officers of this Chapter is established in Bylaws Article II.
Section 2. Election Procedure
2.1 The nominating committee shall call for nominations for particular offices from the ACTIVE and COMMERCIAL membership and prepare a slate of candidates. To be eligible a member must be in good standing and have attended at least five meetings in the past year. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot, in the event of more than one candidate for a particular office, from the slate submitted by the nominating committee in accord with Bylaws Article IV, section 1.1 of this Article. Officers must be eligible to hold office in accordance with the Constitution Article II Section 3.
2.2 Elections shall take place at a regularly scheduled business meeting of the Annual Conference, and shall be determined by a simple majority of the ballots cast. In the event of more than two (2) candidates for a particular office, should a simple majority not be determined on the first ballot, the candidates receiving the two largest number of votes shall engage in a run-off election to be conducted at the same session in the same manner at the Annual Conference.
2.3 The Nominating Committee, as provided in the Bylaws, Article IV, shall make a report to the membership no later than 30 days before the Annual conference.
After receipt of nominations from the membership, the Nominating Committee will report a final slate of candidates to the ACTIVE and COMMERCIAL membership at least one (1) month before the date of the Annual Conference together with ballots. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary, any ACTIVE or COMMERCIAL member in good standing may be nominated for any elected position at the Annual Conference.
ARTICLE IV – GENERAL MEETINGS / ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Section 1. General Meetings
Meetings should be held at least quarterly or as determined by the Executive Board.
Section 2. Annual Conference
The meeting of the Chapter immediately preceding the National NENA Conference shall be known as the ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
The selection of site(s) and date(s) for the ANNUAL CONFERENCE(s) of the Chapter shall be the responsibility of the Executive Board according to the provisions of the Bylaws Article III.
This page was last changed October 22, 1996
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