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The
name of the organization shall be the Gateway Society
of Hazardous Materials Managers (hereafter referred
to as "the Society", "the Chapter", or "GSHMM").
The Chapter is a nonprofit corporation, domiciled in the state
of Missouri. On receipt and maintenance of a formal Charter,
the Chapter 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.
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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 for 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.
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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 either Certified or Affiliate members.
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.
Student Members: A person with an interest in the field of hazardous materials management that is a student in an full time accredited program of instruction in an environmental, engineering, science, or safety field of study or interest. Student members receive a reduced membership rate.
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:
- Vote for elective positions.
- Hold an appointed office in the Chapter.
- Receive official Chapter publications.
- Attend and participate in Chapter meetings.
- Other rights as the Board of Directors may determine other
than holding elective office, being a director on the board,
and voting for changes to the By-Laws and dissolution of
the Chapter.
Student Members shall be entitled to:
- Receive official Chapter publications.
- Attend and participate in Chapter meetings.
- Other rights as the Board of Directors may determine other
than holding elective office, being a director on the board,
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 set 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 breach
of the CHMM Code of Ethics.
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| 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 one year, documents Chapter meetings, maintains
and updates Chapter records and mailing lists, documents Chapter-sponsored
training, documents Chapter membership, and manages mailing
of official notices to the membership.
Treasurer: The treasurer, who is elected to a term of one year, manages the Chapter's financial affairs, prepares and maintains the Chapter’s budget, maintains the Chapter's financial records, mails invoices, pays obligations, collects receivables, issues receipts, makes bank deposits, and interfaces with applicable government entities to maintain the Chapter's nonprofit and corporate status in cooperation with the Chapter's Registered Agent.
Immediate Past President: The responsibility of this unelected position, which is assumed by the previous year's President, is to recruit Chapter members with the Secretary, to assist the Board of Directors in achieving Chapter objectives, and to manage the Chapter CHMM review course (when held).
Registered Agent: This office is required
by the State of Missouri for all corporations such as the
Chapter. This office is held by the President-Elect beginning
with the board of directors elected for the fiscal year 1999-2000.
That same officer acts as the registered agent of the Chapter
for three years during his/her term of office as President-elect,
President, and Past-President.
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, nonfulfillment of responsibilities
as an officer, or breach of the CHMM Code of Ethics. The Officer
shall be given the opportunity to resign before any official
action by the Board of Directors.
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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,
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 fiscal (July 1-June 30)
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 members present.
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.
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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
fiscal year. The new term of office will begin on July 1 of
the new fiscal year.
The Past-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 the April meeting of the general membership. Ballots shall be sent to all members in good standing. Such ballots shall stipulate a deadline for the return of completed ballots.
Ballots shall be returned to the 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 the May meeting 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 results of each election shall be reported by the Secretary
to the Academy no later than December 30 of the year in which
the elections were held.
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The Chapter shall
be governed by the Board of Directors. 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 which 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 Treasurershall be custodian of all monies of the Chapter. The signature of the Treasurer is required for disbursement of any funds. At the annual business meeting and all Board of Director meetings, the Treasurer shall make a report on the financial condition of the Chapter. In the absence of the Treasurer, the President or other elected officer 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 work of the Chapter shall be conducted by four Standing
Committees of which the chairperson is 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.
Education: 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.
Community Outreach: 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. News releases, public speaking, and promotional literature distribution will be used as part of the strategy.
Membership Development: Working with the Past President and Secretary, 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.
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| Board
of Directors: There shall be at least four planning
meetings of the Board of Directors per fiscal year. The time
and place of each meeting shall be set by the Chairperson
of the Board. 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.
Agenda: The following items shall be on
each board of directors meeting agenda.
- Call to order
- Approval of minutes of the last meeting
- Reports of Officers and actions taken
- Reports of Committees and actions taken
- Announcement of next meeting date and adjournment
Parliamentary Procedures: The latest edition
of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the official parliamentary
procedure guide for the conduct of both membership business
meetings and board of directors meetings.
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 time and place of each meeting shall be approved
by the Board of Directors. All meeting dates will be preceded
by a notice to all members at least ten days before the meeting.
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).
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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.
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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. Provision shall be made by the Chapter for absentee voting. An affirmativevote of two-thirds of the ballots cast 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.
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The Chapter may
circulate official publications to all its members. The frequency
shall be determined by the Board. 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.
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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 04/27/2006 as
approved by the membership of the Chapter and attested to
by the current Officers of the Chapter as noted to below by
signature:
Carl Smith, President
Jackie Robb, Vice-President (President Elect)
Donna Parks Ratkowski, Secretary
Gregg Hagerty, Treasurer
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Last updated: April 27, 2006 |
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