Rules and By-Laws
North Carolina Cooperative Extension Secretaries Association
West Central District
Section 1:
This Association shall be known as the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Secretaries Association – West Central District (NCCESA-WCD).
Section 1:
The primary purpose of the Association is to establish and maintain a structure though which members may be united in a professional development and improvement effort for the benefit of themselves and North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
Section 2:
The objectives of this Association shall be as follows:
- First, and most importantly, we shall strive to always perform our duties with conscientious dignity to help make North Carolina Cooperative Extension the best in the nation.
- To be recognized as professionals.
- To request State Administration to provide opportunities for professional development.
- To exert much effort to have County Extension Secretaries classified under one unified system.
- To invite district and state personnel to meet with us with suggestions, information, answers to pertinent questions, etc. in order to stay up to date on NCCE issues.
- To continue our aim to avail the general public with the many services offered by North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
- To improve working relationships and communications between agents and secretaries with regard to planning time and work.
Section 1:
This Association will be comprised of the counties assigned to the West Central District by North Carolina Cooperative Extension and will change according to any changes in the North Carolina Cooperative Extension district structure.
Section 1:
The membership of the Association shall be composed of all office support staff working in county offices and the district office of the NCCE West Central District.
Section 2:
Membership in this Association shall include three classifications: Active, Associate, and Honorary.
Section 3:
Active members shall be secretaries currently employed in any West Central District County Extension Center who has paid annual dues to the District and State Associations. Active members shall be entitled to vote, hold office, and participate in discussions and activities of the Association.
Section 4:
Associate members shall be former active members who have retired and who have paid annual dues to the District and State Associations. Associate members shall have all the privileges of Active members.
Section 5:
Honorary membership may be bestowed upon a member/non-member in recognition of outstanding service to the Association. Recommendation in writing shall be made to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, after two-thirds vote, shall recommend the candidate to the Association at the fall meeting. A majority vote of the members assembled shall be required to confer the honor. An Honorary Member shall pay no dues except where he/she is an Active or Associate Member.
Recommendation for Honorary membership shall be made using the following guidelines:
- Cooperation
- Participation
- Contributions
- Leadership
- Approval by district members
Section 1:
The elected officers of this Association shall be President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2:
The President shall: (1) preside at all meetings of the Association and Board of Directors;
(2) call special meetings of the Board of Directors at his/her discretion or upon the request of a majority of the Directors; (3) appoint annually chairs of standing and special committees; (4) serve as an official representative of the Association at meetings of groups working for the advancement of North Carolina Cooperative Extension and this Association; (5) be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating committee; and (6) recommend to the Board of Directors, for their appointment, persons to fill vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors between elections, except that of President.
Section 3:
The First Vice-President shall perform the duties assigned by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors and preside in the absence of the President. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the First Vice-President shall become President and assume the duties of the office for the unexpired term.
Section 4:
The Second Vice-President shall perform the duties assigned by the President, with approval of the Board of Directors, and shall preside in the absence of the President and First Vice-President. In the event of a vacancy in the office of First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President shall become First Vice-President and assume the duties of the office for the unexpired term.
Section 5:
The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings of the Association and the Board of Directors. In addition to the minutes, he/she shall file into the Official Minute Book: (1) a copy of all amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws; (2) all resolutions that are adopted by the Association; (3) a list of honorary and retired members. The secretary shall search the records for information requested by officers or members; shall mail copies of the minutes of all meetings of the Board of Directors within six weeks after the conclusion of the meeting; shall conduct the correspondence of the Association as directed by the President and/or Board of Directors; and send copies of the district meeting minutes to the State President.
Section 6:
The Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving the funds of the Association and shall disburse them in accordance with the adopted budget. In cases of emergency when funds need to be transferred between accounts, the Treasurer is authorized to do so upon approval of the President. The Treasurer shall serve as Finance Committee Chair and Advisor to said committee the following year. The Association accounts shall be audited at the close of the calendar year by an Audit Committee appointed by the President.
Section 1:
District officers shall serve a term of one year. Elections shall be held at the annual fall meeting. Their terms of duty will begin October 1 and continue through September 30.
Section 2:
The First Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
Section 3:
The Second Vice-President shall succeed to the office of First Vice-President upon recommendation of the Nominating Committee.
Section 4:
District officers shall be elected by the active members of the Association at the annual fall meeting from the slate of officers presented by the Nominating Committee or from additional nominations from the floor.
Section 5:
All candidates for office must give consent to serve, if elected, before being nominated. If nominations are made from the floor, the candidate’s qualifications and consent to serve must be presented to the Nominating Committee by the person making the nomination prior to the voting session.
Section 6:
No person shall be nominated for State Office before she/he has served as a District Officer.
Section 7:
No officer may hold two offices concurrently in the NCCESA–WCD.
Section 8:
Nominations for officers shall be made through the District Nominating Committee.
Section 1:
The Board of Directors shall consist of elected officers, immediate past president, and district committee chairs.
Section 2:
The Board of Directors shall:
- direct the program and formulate policies concerning the Association and the general nature and scope of activities;
- approve the proposed budget;
- fill by appointment all vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors between elections, except the office of District President;
- be empowered to conduct business by mail, e-mail, online, or e-meeting (parameters to be set by the President), if necessary;
- meet at the call of the District President or upon written request of a majority of the Board; set time and place of district meetings only if no invitation is extended.
Section 1:
The Executive Board of this Association shall consist of the President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2:
The Board shall meet as necessary to transact the business of the Association. Three members will constitute a quorum.
Section 3:
The immediate Past President shall serve as an advisory member of the Executive Board without vote the succeeding year.
Section 4:
The NCCESA-WCD will provide financial support to a district officer for expenses incurred when traveling to a State Board Meeting if she does not have financial support from the county budget. The Association will provide up to $100 per person per calendar year. The funds may be applied to lodging cost or cost of actual gas. Officers should plan to travel and room together as appropriate. Each officer will be required to submit to the District Treasurer original receipts for reimbursement.
Section 1:
Two meetings shall be held annually. The location and time will be determined by the host county.
Section 2:
The host county will provide a planned, educational activity to promote professional improvement at each district meeting.
Section 3:
Members shall be notified in writing at least two weeks prior to the date of each meeting.
Section 1:
The NCCESA-WCD dues shall support a balance budget.
Section 2:
Annual dues of $20 will be paid to the District Treasurer by October 1 of each year.
Section 3:
State dues for NCCESA-WCD members will be paid by the District Treasurer by November 1 of each year.
Section 4:
Membership shall be available for those whose effective date of employment occurs after October 1 upon payment of dues.
Section 1:
The Standing Committees of this Association and their functions are listed as follows:
- MEMBERSHIP
- This committee is responsible for contacting non- members and encouraging them to join the Association. Committee members are responsible for sending cards of welcome to each new member.
- PUBLIC RELATIONS
- To interpret to the public the objectives and purpose of our Association and the contribution secretaries make to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service work.
- To promote good relations with local and state administrations, key legislative bodies, other agricultural- related organizations and the public in general.
- To write news articles on state association meetings, before and after meetings are held, using pictures with articles as much as possible.
- To alert news media representatives in the city of the annual meeting and personally acquaint them with the objectives and purpose of the Association, prior to the meeting in order to reflect the true and accurate image of Extension.
- To work with the President of our organization in letting the Director of Extension know the value of the program of work of our Association.
- NOMINATING
- The function of this committee is to receive nominations for all state officers and draw up a slate of officers nominated to be presented at the state meeting. A nomination form is sent out to the general membership prior to the state meeting. All nominations are received by the committee, which then draws up a slate of officers from these nominations.
- RULES & BYLAWS
- This committee is responsible for receiving proposed changes from members, drawing these proposed changes up, presenting the changes to the Board of Directors, and upon their approval, posting these proposed changes to the website at least two weeks prior to the state meeting. If the proposed changes are accepted by a two-thirds majority vote, the committee shall make corrections to the NCCESA Constitution and Bylaws web page.
- FINANCE
- This committee is responsible for drawing up a balanced state budget and presenting said budget to the Board of Directors for approval. This committee will have access to the previous year's financial statements for reference.
- REFLECTIONS
- This committee will maintain a scrapbook to record the history of our association.
- PROFESSIONAL IMPROVEMENT
- To keep association members up to date with awards available to them with deadlines and criteria; workshops and trainings available; and any magazines, internet pages etc. that would help in the education and time management of all members.
- Annual Scholarship -- In accordance with the Professional Improvement Scholarship guidelines, Professional Improvement Committee Chairperson will request applications for Professional Improvement scholarships and coordinate with committee to determine recipient(s) and awarded amount(s) within said guidelines.
- SPECIAL COMMITTEES
- SPECIAL COMMITTEES: Any committee set up by the President or the General Membership, not made up of the district chairs, to act at the discretion of the state president/and or the general membership.
Section 2:
An Auditing Committee shall be appointed annually by the President to audit the accounts of the Treasurer and provide a written report to the Secretary for inclusion in the NCCESA-WCD records, as well reporting findings to the membership.
Section 3:
The chair of each committee shall submit a written report to the Board of Directors at each District meeting to be included in the minutes of the meeting.
Section 4:
Any Committee shall have the privilege of functioning by mail, electronic mail, or telephone.
Section 5:
A majority of the members of any committee shall constitute a quorum.
Section 1:
Members present at the district meetings shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 1:
The rules contained in Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the Association in all instances in which they are not inconsistent with the Rules & By-Laws.
Section 2:
The parliamentarian shall assist in conducting business meetings of the Association following Robert’s Rules or Order, Revised, and shall be appointed by the President.
Section 1:
Amendments to these Rules & By-Laws may be made at any meeting of the general membership by two-thirds vote of those present after notification in writing to each member at least two weeks before the vote is to take place; or, if the emergency of the measure dictates, by a two-thirds vote of written or e-mail ballots returned.
Outgoing President’s Award
Outgoing President will receive a check for $50.
1. The benevolence policy will cover:
-death of an Association member (Active, Associate, Honorary)
2. The County Extension staff in the affected member’s home county will notify the Treasurer or President of a death of an active or retired NCCESA-WCD District member or family member.
3. In case of the death of an NCCESA-WCD member, flowers or a memorial will be sent on behalf of the Association to a favorite charity listed, or as directed by the family if no such charity is listed. Exceptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis. There will be a $30.00 limit.
4. The County Extension staff where the member works (worked) will be responsible for ordering flowers or purchasing a gift for the member. The bill or original receipt should be sent to the NCCESA-WCD District Treasurer.
5. In case of death of a spouse or child of an NCCESA-WCD member, an appropriate card extending sympathy will be sent to the member by the President. (A $25 memorial contribution from NCCESA will be sent to a favorite charity in the event of the death of a member. Districts should contact the State Treasurer regarding the death of a member.)
$50 will be given for retirement of an active member.
1. The West Central District NCCESA Professional Improvement Scholarship is available to active members who have held membership in the association for at least one-year.
2. Scholarship Applications are in a WORD doc. Click here for Application.
3. All scholarship requests must be for educational purposes applicable to duties of the association membership. This can be credited courses on the college level, self-improvement and leadership seminars, or workshops that directly relate to the job responsibilities of the applicant.
4. Total Scholarship awards cannot exceed a total of $300.00 during any given business year. The only way this can be increased will be by vote of the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.
5. The Scholarship Committee will be WCD members of the Professional Improvement Committee and the WCD 1st Vice President. The chair of the Professional Improvement Committee will serve as chair for the Professional Improvement Scholarship Committee.
6. Scholarship Applications are to be submitted electronically to the Chairperson of the Professional Improvement Scholarship Committee by August 1st. The Chair will share all applications received with committee members to select scholarship winner(s).
7. The Scholarship Chair will provide written notification to the scholarship winner(s) and the WCD Treasurer of the Scholarship Committee’s selection and the amount of the scholarship(s) as soon as the selection is made.
8. Within 30-days of receiving notification the winning applicant(s) will provide proper documentation to the WCD Treasurer for registration and/or material fees paid personally or registration and material fees to be paid directly to the school or other organization/institution for their course of study, seminar or workshop.
9. WCD Treasurer will provide copies of finalized paperwork to the Chair of the Scholarship Committee.
10. Scholarship winner(s) will be recognized at the fall West Central District North Carolina Cooperative Extension Secretaries Association district meeting.
The Secretary of the Year Award is to be presented annually at the spring meeting to one secretary in the West Central District as a means of recognizing her outstanding performance. It is presented by the NCCESA – WCD.
Guidelines:
1. Nominations for the Secretary of the Year Award must be made by a member of the nominee’s Extension staff (i.e., agent, fellow secretary, county director).
2. Nominees must be members of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Secretaries Association and must have a minimum of three years service with North Carolina Cooperative Extension.
3. The award will be presented on an annual basis at the spring meeting of the NCCESA-WCD following the year for which she was nominated.
4. Any secretary selected as a winner will not be eligible to become a nominee again for a period of 3 years.
5. Nominations will be forwarded to the Chairman of the Public Relations Committee for the district and will be judged by a selected panel of impartial judges.
6. Winner will receive $150.00 and a certificate.
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