WESTERN NEW YORK SECTION NEW YORK UPSTATE CHAPTER
of the AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION
Section Bylaws
Proposed June 2005
ARTICLE I. NAME AND AREA
Section 1.
The name of this Section shall be the Western New York Section, New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association.
Section 2.
The area served by the Section includes Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany Counties in New York State.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Section shall be to provide members with a tangible local expression of the purposes and objectives of APA and to provide a vehicle for maximum membership involvement in the affairs of APA. The Section is organized to facilitate the individual participation of members in the affairs of the American Planning Association and to further the purposes of the American Planning Association in the New York Upstate Chapter area.
ARTICLE III. DEFINITIONS
“APA” shall refer to the National level of the American Planning Association. “AICP” shall refer to the American Institute of Certified Planners. “Chapter” shall refer to New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association. “Chapter Bylaws” shall refer to the bylaws adopted by the Executive Board in 1986 and revised from time to time. “Executive Board” shall refer to the board members of the Chapter. “Executive Committee” shall refer to the Western New York Section Executive Committee. “Section” shall refer to the Western New York Section of the Upstate Chapter. “Section Bylaws” shall refer to these bylaws revised and adopted by the Executive Committee on June 3, 2005 and revised from time to time. “Section Only Members” shall refer to individuals registered as members of the Western New York Section and not members of APA National or the New York Upstate Chapter.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERS
Section 1.
All members of APA whose address of record is within the Section's geographic area shall be members of the Section. Members of APA whose address of record is outside the Section area may also become Section members upon notification to the Section and payment of applicable dues and assessments.
Section 2.
Non-members of APA may also become “Section Only” members upon notification to the Section and payment of applicable dues and assessments.
Section 3.
APA shall set national dues for APA Members. “Section Only” dues and assessments shall be set by an affirmative vote of a majority of the entire membership of the Executive Committee. APA shall collect National and Chapter dues; the Section shall collect Section Only dues.
Section 4.
Section membership will be terminated upon termination of APA membership.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS
Section 1.
The officers of the Section shall be a Section Director, a Past Section Director, a Deputy Director, a Treasurer, and a Secretary. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these Bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Section, assigned by the Executive Committee, or those duties that are customary to their respective offices.
Section 2.
The officers shall be elected by voice vote of the membership in attendance at the Annual Meeting for two years or until their successors are elected, and their term of office shall begin on July 1.
Section 3.
No Section member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive 2-year terms in the same office.
Section 4.
The Director, subject to approval of the Executive Committee, shall appoint a Nominating Committee of not less than three members of the Section. At least one member of the Nominating Committee shall be a current member of the Executive Committee. The Nominating Committee shall nominate at least one candidate and no more than two candidates for each Section office, and shall conduct the election in accordance with the standing rules established by the Executive Committee. All persons nominated shall be APA members. The Nominating Committee shall take into consideration the desirability of nominating candidates for office who will be representative of the geographical area of the Section.
Section 5.
The Chair of the Nominating Committee shall inform the Section membership of their opportunity to submit name(s) for nomination as candidates for Section officers by written notice.
Section 6.
The Executive Committee shall establish standing rules governing the nomination and election process and the process for nomination in order to insure a fair and equitable election of officers. Election results shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast.
Section 7.
The Executive Committee may remove an elected officer of the Section from office if the officer has had three consecutive unexcused absences from Executive Committee meetings or for non-performance of duties as specified in these Bylaws as determined by the Executive Committee. At least two consecutive Executive Committee meetings shall be required to enact such a motion. The first meeting shall be for the making of the motion and the submission of grounds. The second meeting shall be for the consideration of a response by the officer so charged, with a majority vote of the sitting Executive Committee required to sustain the motion.
Section 8.
The Executive Committee shall elect a qualified member to serve the un-expired term of any office vacated, except Director, in which case, the Deputy Director becomes Director.
ARTICLE VI. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. Director.
The Director shall lead the Executive Committee in carrying out the Section mission, oversee Executive Committee activities, provide liaison to the Chapter, and represent the Section on the Chapter Executive Board. The Director shall appoint and oversee the newsletter editor, and create, appoint and discharge all Section committees including designating their chairs unless otherwise provided in these bylaws.
Section 2. Past Director.
The Past Director shall serve the Executive Committee with sage advice, shall review the Section Bylaws and propose any necessary revisions, and shall assist the Director in carrying out the Section’s programs. The Past Director shall coordinate the annual awards program.
Section 3. Deputy Director.
The Deputy Director shall coordinate Section activities with other planning organizations, work with a designated committee on organizing the running the annual conference (when hosted by the Section) and improve educational opportunities for planning and zoning commissioners, and carry out other duties as assigned by the Director. The Deputy Director, in the event of the temporary absence or other incapacity of the Director, shall assume the duties of the Director. In the event of resignation or removal, the Deputy Director shall fill out the remainder of the Director’s term of office.
Section 4. Secretary.
The Secretary shall maintain attendance records and keep minutes of all Executive Committee meetings, maintain copies of all official correspondence, and maintain accurate addresses and phone numbers of all Executive Committee members. These records shall be maintained and passed to the subsequent Secretary as the archive of Section business.
Section 5. Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall receive and disburse all Section funds, maintain an accounting of such funds, prepare annual financial reports, work with APA and the Chapter to provide all required financial reports, and work with the Executive Committee to develop an annual budget. These financial records shall be maintained and passed to the subsequent Treasurer as the archive of the Section’s financial business.
Section 6.
The officers shall perform such other duties as required by these Bylaws or as customary to their office.
ARTICLE VII. MEETINGS
Section 1.
An Annual Meeting of the Section membership shall be held in each calendar year. The meeting shall be held at a location within the Section area.
Section 2.
Special meetings of the membership may be called by the Director, the Executive Committee, or by a petition signed by at least five percent of the Section members.
Section 3.
The Executive Committee shall determine the specific location, date, and time of each Annual Meeting and special meeting. The Secretary shall notify the Section membership of the place, date, and time of the Annual Meeting in a publication of the Section, or by another communication, that is mailed or e-mailed to each member at least one month before the meeting.
Section 4.
At Annual Meetings, special meetings, and in mail ballots, except mail ballots for the election of officers, a quorum shall be ten percent of the Section members.
ARTICLE VIII. SECTION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1.
Executive Committee members shall include the following: officers of the Section as listed in ARTICLE V of these Bylaws, Student Representatives, and up to three persons with special portfolios. A majority of the members of the Section Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Committee. Each member of the Executive Committee shall have one vote on matters before the committee.
Section 2.
A Student Representative from each certified planning school in the Section shall be appointed by the Director. Each Student Representative shall have one vote on the Executive Committee. The Student Representative shall advise on student interests and needs of students; evaluate the extent to which the Section’s program and services meet the needs of students; and make the recommendations on how the Section can help meet the needs of students, and share information on Section programs and events with students and faculty.
Section 3.
Up to three Section members with special portfolios and specific terms of office may be appointed to the Executive Committee by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Special portfolios may include major committee responsibilities for development or implementation of programs and special expertise needed by the Executive Committee.
Section 4.
The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Section between the Section’s business meetings, fix the hour and place of Section meetings and events, make recommendations to the Chapter, and shall perform such other duties as are specified in these Bylaws or customary to an Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the Chapter, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the Chapter.
Section 5.
Regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held at least eight (8) times a year, and special meetings of the Committee may by called by the Director and shall be called upon the written request of three members of the Executive Committee. A majority of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
ARTICLE IX. COMMITTEES
Such other standing or special committees shall be appointed by the Section Director as the Executive Committee shall from time to time deem necessary to carry on the work of the Section. The Executive Committee shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Section 1.
Professional Development Officer.
The Professional Development Officer shall coordinate Section activities related to the AICP exam and opportunities for AICP members to receive continuing education credits, work with the national AICP, and provide professional development opportunities for all Section members.
Section 2.
Membership Officer.
The Membership Officer shall maintain the Section’s membership list, conduct membership drives, and prepare, distribute and maintain a Section directory. The Secretary shall act as the chair of the Membership Committee
Section 3.
Program Committee.
Section 4.
Public Outreach Committee.
Section 5.
Newsletter Editor.
Section 6.
Awards Committee
Section 7.
Nominating Committee.
ARTICLE X. SECTIONS
Section 1.
The Section shall adopt Bylaws to govern Section affairs. Section Bylaws shall not conflict with the Bylaws or the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Chapter or of APA. Before adoption, copies of proposed Bylaws or amendments to Section Bylaws shall be sent to each member of the Section for review and comment. Upon adoption of the Bylaws or Amendments to the Bylaws, they shall be promptly filed with the Chapter.
Section 2.
The principal elected officer of the Section shall be titled Section Director. The Section Director will serve as a voting member of the Chapter Executive Board. In the event a Section Director is unable to attend an Executive Board meeting, the Section Director shall appoint an Alternate from that Section to attend in their stead. The Alternate shall have one vote at the Chapter Executive Board meeting assigned to him/her. The Section Director shall also prepare reports for the Chapter Executive Board describing the activities of the Section, coordinate Chapter and Section activities, and carry out other duties assigned by the Chapter President or the Executive Board.
ARTICLE XI. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Section in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws and any special rule of order the Executive Committee may adopt.
ARTICLE XII. AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Upon authorization by the Executive Committee, or upon petition signed by five percent of the Section members, any proposed amendment to these Bylaws shall, after discussion at an Executive Committee meeting, be submitted by the Secretary, together with a ballot, to the Section members and, for adoption, shall require a majority of the votes cast. A period of at least fifteen days shall be allowed for the return of ballots