Bylaws
ARTICLE I - NAME
The name of this organization shall be Retired Employees City of Mesa (RECOM).
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE
The purpose of RECOM shall be to develop, promote and carry out activities for the benefit of retired employees of the City of Mesa. Those activities shall include (but not be limited to) providing information to the general membership on matters of interest and importance to them, and advocating on behalf of the general membership on retirement issues affecting them.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be granted to any retiree of the City of Mesa upon payment of dues. Additionally, the following individuals are eligible for membership:
1.RETIREE'S SPOUSE/DOMESTIC PARTNER. The spouse or domestic partner of a retired City of Mesa employee is eligible for membership, and is eligible for continued membership in RECOM upon the death of the retiree.
2.DEFERRED RETIREE. Any City of Mesa Retirement Plan deferred retiree (ie., any participant in the City's D.R.O.P. program) and his/her spouse/domestic partner.
3.DISABILITY/MEDICAL RETIREE. Any retiree receiving a disability/medical pension from the City of Mesa, and his/her spouse/ domestic partner.
4.PROSPECTIVE RETIREE. Any employee who is within one year of retirement eligibility.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
BOARD MEETINGS: The Board of Directors shall meet at least once each month on a schedule set by the Board and published to the membership. Additional meetings will be held when necessary, as determined by the Board or when called by the President.
REGULAR MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS: The organization shall hold monthly meetings of the members at a time and place designated by the Board of Directors. The date, time, location, and agenda shall be published at least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled regular meeting.
SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS: The Board of Directors may call special meetings of the membership as it deems necessary. The date, time, location, and agenda shall be published at least five (5) days prior to the scheduled special meeting.
QUORUM FOR MEETINGS: A simple majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum for Board meetings. Members present shall constitute a quorum at the regular and special Membership meetings.
ARTICLE V - BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Board of Directors (Officers) of the organization shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and three (3) Directors At Large.
The Board of Directors shall establish Policies and Procedures in support of these Bylaws, and that are pertinent to carrying out the organization's objectives and business.
The Board shall determine all activities of the organization, approve expenditures from its treasury, and direct all functions affecting the organization.
Terms of Office:
President - one year Director at large - two years
Vice President - one year Director at large - two years
Secretary - one year Director at large - one year
Treasurer - one year
No Board member shall serve more than three (3) consecutive terms of the same office.
Removal of a Board Member:
For Non-Attendance: Any member of the Board who has three consecutive absences from RECOM Board meetings may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors.
For Non-Performance of Duties: Any member of the Board who fails to perform his/her duties as outlined in these Bylaws and in the Policies and Procedures may be removed from office by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Vacancies: If a vacancy occurs in the office of President prior to the expiration of the term, the Vice President shall assume the office of President for the remainder of that term. If other vacancies occur on the Board of Directors prior to the expiration of the term, the Board shall appoint a replacement to serve for the remainder of the vacated term.
Duties:
President - The President shall preside over all Board and Membership meetings. The President shall work with all members of the Board in establishing items for Board consideration and appropriate follow-up. The President shall be responsible for establishing standing and/or working/ad hoc committees as necessary. The President shall recommend chairs for committees to the Board for approval.
Vice President -- The Vice President shall attend Board meetings and Membership meetings, work on various projects and assignments as directed by the President, and perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President.
Secretary - The Secretary shall attend Board and Membership meetings, be responsible for maintaining minutes of all meetings of the organization, attend to all necessary correspondence, and perform such other duties as assigned by the President and the Board of Directors. At the end of the Secretary's term of office, all minutes and records will be forwarded to the incoming Secretary by no later than the July Board meeting.
Treasurer - The Treasurer shall attend Board and Membership meetings, receive all funds of the organization, and pay out such monies for investments or for organizational expenses incurred, as authorized by the Board of Directors, or as otherwise provided through these Bylaws. The Treasurer shall maintain all financial records and provide a monthly financial statement for the Board of Directors' review and approval. At the end of the Treasurer's term of office, all records will be forwarded to the incoming Treasurer by no later than the July Board meeting.
Directors At Large - The Directors At Large shall attend Board and Membership meetings, chair and/or serve on committees, and work on various projects as assigned by the President and the Board.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS
All members of the Board of Directors shall be elected via a balloting process, as follows:
Incumbent Board members seeking re-election or election to a different position on the Board, and members newly seeking a Board position, must notify the Nominating Committee indicating their interest.
The Nominating Committee shall receive nominations from existing Board members seeking re-election or election to a new position on the Board, and from other members newly seeking a Board position. All candidates' names will be reported at the March Board meeting, and announced to the membership at the March Membership meeting. Nominations from the floor will be accepted at that Membership meeting. All nominees must be certified as members in good standing of the organization, and must agree to serve if elected. A paper ballot containing all qualified nominees' names, by office sought, will be presented at the April Membership meeting, and voting will take place.
Each successful candidate must receive a simple majority of the votes cast by the members present at the April Membership meeting, as determined by the members of the Nominating Committee.
The Nominating Committee will oversee elections and assure compliance with the processes contained in these Bylaws and in any RECOM Policies and Procedures regarding elections which may be established by the Board.
ARTICLE VII - DUES
The Board of Directors shall review the dues amount annually and shall make a dues recommendation to the membership at the April Membership meeting each year. Any change in the dues amount must be approved by a simple majority of the votes cast by members present at the May Membership meeting.
Dues must be paid at the beginning of each fiscal year (July 1), and if unpaid, are considered delinquent as of October 1 each year. A member may pay dues for more than one year, if he or she so desires. Payment of dues for up to three (3) years will be at the established rate for the current year. If an increase in the dues occurs, members who have prepaid will not be required to submit any additional dues for those years already paid. If dues become delinquent, membership automatically will terminate.
ARTICLE VIII - FINANCES
All revenue collected shall be deposited in a local financial institution and may be withdrawn upon authorization by the Board of Directors, as outlined in the RECOM Policies and Procedures. A statement of financial condition shall be given at the monthly Board and regular membership meetings. A written summary of the finances of the organization shall be distributed annually to the membership at the April Membership meeting. A financial audit shall be conducted upon election of a new Treasurer, whenever deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, or upon written petition to the Board of a simple majority of the members in good standing of the organization.
In the event of dissolution of the organization, all funds in the RECOM treasury at that time shall be distributed to the successor to RECOM, or, if no successor, to a qualified non-profit Mesa charity of the Board's choosing.
ARTICLE IX - COMMITTEES
RECOM has five (5) Standing Committees which serve the on-going needs of the organization. Additional 'working' or 'ad-hoc' committees may be established by the Board as needed to meet specific special needs or objectives, and will serve for a limited amount of time. All committees and their respective chairs will report to the Board of Directors, will update the Board on all matters as necessary, and will seek approval from the Board for any actions they wish to take which will reflect upon or represent RECOM's position on any matter.
A designated Board member shall serve on each of the Standing Committees. A designated Board member may serve on one or more 'working' or 'ad-hoc' committees, at the pleasure of the Board.
Standing Committees
1.Membership Committee: In collaboration with the Secretary, the Membership Committee shall assist in maintaining records of all RECOM members, compiling and updating the organization's history, collecting dues and forwarding those funds to the Treasurer, and developing programs to recruit new members from among retirees of the City of Mesa.
2.Nominating Committee: The Nominating Committee annually shall receive and submit to the Board and the general membership the names of certified candidates for Board of Directors positions, and shall conduct the election process in accordance with these Bylaws and any established election Policies and Procedures.
3.Programs Committee: The Programs Committee is responsible for the programming for all membership meetings and social gatherings of the organization.
4.Bylaws Committee: The Bylaws Committee is responsible for periodically reviewing existing Bylaws and supporting Policies and Procedures, and making any recommendations for change to the Board of Directors.
5.Issues Committee: The Issues Committee is responsible for reviewing legislation and/or other proposed local, county, state or federal actions which may have an impact on retirees and their retirement benefits
The Committee also shall recommend to the Board of Directors names of two (2) RECOM representatives to be approved by the Board and forwarded to the COM Employee Benefits Manager and the City Manager for appointment to service on the City of Mesa Employee Benefits Task Force. One (1) of these candidates shall represent general COM retirees, and one (1) shall represent COM Public Safety retirees.
ARTICLE X - MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
It is the responsibility of each member to inform the RECOM Secretary of any change in his/her name, address, phone number(s), e-mail address, or marital status.
Members' personally-identifiable information shall be given out by Board members or any RECOM member only for the purpose of RECOM business, and never for any commercial purposes, as defined in the Policies and Procedures.
ARTICLE XI - AMENDMENTS
These Bylaws may be amended by a simple majority vote of members present at at any regular or special Membership meeting, provided at least ten (10) days' written notice of the proposed changes are given to the membership. Such Bylaws changes shall take effect on the dates stipulated by the Board at the Membership meeting at which the changes are approved by the members.
ARTICLE XII - DISSOLUTION OF THE ORGANIZATION
Dissolution of RECOM and all of its purposes, powers, officers and committees may be accomplished by a three-quarters (3/4) vote of the Board of Directors, followed by three-quarters (3/4) vote of members present at the next regular or special membership meeting of the organization.