If you are considering running for Office in FY 18 - 1 May 2017 through 30 April 2018 you need to notify the Secretary/Treasurer by December 15, 2016, which is 90 Days prior to the March General Membership meeting as required by the by-laws. December 15th is a week prior to our December General Membership meeting in Andover. Notification can be an email to the Secretary/Treasurer. Send via email.
Bill Dolan has one more year as Secretary/Treasurer and will be leaving at the end of FY 18. We have had two people express interest in this position. Those who have expressed interest are receiving correspondence on what needs to be done as the Secretary and Treasurer. If you are interested in this position you should notify the Secretary/Treasurer and you will receive information on the job.
Article IV from our by-laws is posted below for your review.
ARTICLE IV
OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTION
SECTION 1
The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, First Vice President, Second Vice President and a Secretary/Treasurer.
SECTION 2
The Board of Directors shall consist of 20 members, including the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Immediate Past President and one Director for each Fire District (15) as spelled out in Executive Order #437. If a Fire District is unable to select a Director for the Annual Election, it will be up to them to select a Director from another district to represent them.
Among the duties of the board of Directors shall be determining eligibility for membership and the receiving, investigation and adjudication of complaints of violation of the Associations' Constitution and By laws.
SECTION 3
There shall be an Auditing Committee made up of three (3) members from the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint the three-member committee no later than thirty (30) days after taking office.
SECTION 4
Nominations of Officers shall be made from the floor at the MARCH meeting; elections and balloting at the APRIL meeting and induction of Officers at the MAY meeting. Whenever a single nomination exists for any office (no contest), a motion, and “Have the secretary cast one ballot for the nominee" may be in order and if seconded, the nominee will be duly elected if the meeting concurs by vote.
SECTION 5
Officers, when elected, must be active members, in good standing from the State of Massachusetts. The Secretary/Treasurer position may be held by a Retired Fire Chief if he is duly nominated and elected by the membership. The Immediate Past President shall be an active member of the Association assuming said office after completing a full one year term as President.
SECTION 6
The term of office for the President and the First and Second Vice-Presidents shall be one (1) year. The term of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be three (3) years. Should any of the elected officers voluntarily retire from their positions as Chief of a fire Department, while serving as an officer of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, Inc, upon request to and approval from a majority of the members of the Board of Directors present at a legally called meeting of said Board, shall continue in the office he is holding at the time of his retirement from the Fire Department until the next scheduled election of Officers. Conversely, should an Officer of the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, Inc. wish to withdraw from office to which he has been elected, at the time of his retirement as Chief of a Fire Department, he shall notify the President and the Board of Directors of his intent to withdraw.
The notice of withdrawal shall be accepted by the Board of Directors and upon accepting such notice, the Board shall take such necessary and appropriate action to appoint, elect or otherwise fill the vacant office. All actions of the Board in the aforementioned matter shall be presented to the membership for ratification.
SECTION 7
No Officer of the Association who is serving the Association after having retired as Chief of a Fire Department, shall continue to serve in that capacity upon election to any public office.
SECTION 8
The Officers and Directors shall have charge and control of the management of the Association, including ways and means of carrying out its objectives and purposes, subject to the wishes of the members expressed at any regular meeting.
SECTION 9
The Board of Directors shall appoint a Governmental Affairs Director for a three (3) year term. Selection shall be by a majority vote of said Board.
The Governmental Affairs Director shall submit to the Board of Directors a proposed budget not later than March 1st of each year. The Board of Directors shall review said budget and forward it, together with their recommendation to the General Membership for action by them. The Board, however, shall have the power and authority to authorize a supplement to a deficient budget when it is in the best interest of the Organization. Transfers authorized in this manner shall be only made at a regular meeting of the Board and then by a majority vote of the same.
SECTION 10
Section 10 – Candidates for the elected positions of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, and Directors, shall make their intentions known that they are a candidate for office by submitting their candidacy to the Secretary/Treasurer no less than ninety (90) days prior to the MARCH meeting for posting in the FCAM newsletter at least sixty (60) days prior to the MARCH meeting. Should there only be one candidate for an elected position and said candidate withdraws his/her name from consideration after the required submission date, the Board of Directors shall be allowed to reopen search for candidates.