Bylaws Committee

Committees -> Bylaws Committee

• Committee Mission Statement
• Committee Objectives
• Committee Policies
• Committee Procedures
• Committee Chairperson

As a FAMA member if you would like to be part of a committee, please contact the committee chairperson.

Mission

The mission of the Bylaws Committee of the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers’ Association (FAMA) is to maintain the association bylaws in an efficient, effective and updated condition for the use of the association’s members.

Objectives

• To react quickly to correct any verbiage in the bylaws which prevents the association from fulfilling its mission.
• To add to, delete from, or alter our bylaws as necessary to protect the association from any external or internal threat.
• To insure the bylaws meet all legal requirements for this type of association (corporation).
• To protect the image of our association, if necessary, by revising the bylaws.
• To review the bylaws mission principles in a timely fashion and make recommendations for change as necessary.

Policies

1. Committee Composition – The FAMA Bylaws committee shall consist of a Chair appointed by the President, a Vice Chair appointed by the chair and other members. Where required, the committee will assist and be assisted by the association’s attorney and the FAMA Administrative Assistant.
2. Budget – The committee shall develop a budget for the Spring and Fall meetings, if required, within the guidelines established by the President and the Board of Directors, to identify and provide the tools and resources necessary to implement its mission.
3. Functions -The Bylaws committee shall be responsible for the following functions:
   • Legal Requirements – With the support of the association’s attorney, the committee is to assure that the bylaws meet all legal requirements for this type of Association.
   • Revise Bylaws – The committee is to add to, delete from, or revise the bylaws as necessary to protect the Association from any external or internal concerns.
   • Quick Reaction – To react quickly to correct any verbiage in the bylaws which prevents the Association from fulfilling its mission.
   • Protect Image – To protect the image of the Association as necessary by revising the bylaws.
   • Member Protection – The bylaws are to provide adequate protection for the Officers, Directors, and Members of the Association from claims against any individual.
   • Interpretation – The committee is to interpret and advise the Board of Directors on any issue raised concerning the intent of the bylaws.
   • Mission Principals – The members of the committee are to review the bylaws committee mission principals to make certain they are aligned with the mission principals of FAMA.
   • Legal Requirements – With the support of the association’s attorney, the committee is to assure that the bylaws meet all legal requirements for this type of Association.

Procedures

1. Committee
   • The committee correspondence is generally by email transmittal from the chair to the members.
   • The chair communicates with the Board of Directors during the year via the Administrative Assistant.
   • The Chair may meet with the Board at the two general membership meetings and as required during the year.
   • The Chair communicates with the Association’s attorney as required.
2. Budget
   • The committee correspondence is generally by email transmittal from the chair to the members.
   • The committee normally does not request budget funds for its administrative costs as it is nominal and therefore, provided by the chair and the members during the year.
3. Functions – Legal Requirements
   • Attorney Review – By working with the Association’s attorney at the general membership meetings, the chair for the committee assures legal compliance with requirements for this type of association.
   • The Administrative Assistant transmits recommended bylaw amendments to/from the association’s attorney during the year for review and comments.
4. Functions – Revise Bylaws
   • The committee is to revise the bylaws during the year in accordance Section 13 of the Bylaws which requires that notification be sent to the members thirty days prior to the meeting date in which the revisions will be proposed.
   • The committee generates amendments to the bylaws, or receives them from members or from the Board of Directors throughout the year or at meetings.
   • The committee chair drafts the amendment and sends it to the committee members for comment. Those comments are then incorporated and the amendment(s) are sent to the committee for a second time for review. Upon approval by the committee the amendments are submitted to the Administrative Assistant and the association’s attorney for review. Upon completion of that review and the inclusion of agreed changes, the amendment(s) is forwarded to the Administrative Assistant for inclusion on the agenda of the next Board of Directors meeting. Following the meeting, the Board’s recommendations are reviewed for incorporation by the chair. The final version of the amendments are then submitted to the Administrative Assistant to be released to the membership in sufficient time to satisfy the requirements of Section 13 of the bylaws. At the general membership meeting, the amendments are proposed and must be passed by a two-thirds majority, a quorum being present. The bylaws are then revised by the Chair to include the approved amendments and forwarded to the Administrative Assistant to be released to the membership.
5. Functions – Quick Reaction
   • The committee can react to a need for a correction in the verbiage by following the requirements of Section 13 of the bylaws in an expeditious manner.
   • Section XV of the bylaws allows for Emergency bylaws in the event of a catastrophic event.
6. Functions – Member Protection
   • Section 10 of the bylaws provides for indemnification of any person in FAMA in accordance with the provisions in the section.
   • Additional protection is offered by having the association’s attorney present at general membership meetings.
7. Functions – Interpretation
   • The committee, generally the chair, provides guidance to the Board and members during the general membership meetings.
   • In addition, the chair is called upon during the year to provide bylaws interpretation to the Board and committee chairs, as requested.
8. Functions – Mission Principals
   • The committee reviews its mission principals on no less than an annual basis for consistency with the functionality of the association and the committee.
   • Updates to the mission principals are submitted to the Board of Directors for approval.
9. Functions – Reports and Updates
   • The committee chair makes formal, written reports to the Board of Directors, as requested, generally twice a year.
   • The committee chair provides updates to the membership at each general membership meeting.

Chair
Bruce Whitehouse (AMDOR Inc.)

Co-Chair
Phil Gerace (E-ONE, Inc.)