Proposed Change to NYSAFC Constitution & By-Laws

The following Constitution & By-Law change was requested by the membership to the NYSAFC board of directors, which directed the Constitution & By-Laws Committee to draft the change. The first reading of the proposed change was conducted at the association general membership meeting held on November 21, 2015, in Castleton, NY. A reading will take place at the association general membership meeting on April 2, 2016, in Castleton, NY and on Thursday, June 16, 2016, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. during the 110th Annual Conference General Session & Association Business Meeting at the Turning Stone Resort in Verona, NY. Voting on the proposed change will take place during the Annual Conference on Friday, June 17, 2016, from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 18, 2016, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the Briar Room. Call the NYSAFC office or visit the NYSAFC website for a full copy of the NYSAFC Constitution & By-Laws.

The proposed changes are as follows (strikethrough indicates text to be deleted and red/underline indicates text to be added):

By-Laws

The intent of this By-Law change is to allow the Nominations & Elections Committee ample time to investigate the credentials and qualifications of a potential candidate who chooses to run off the floor.

Article Ill
Nominations and Elections

Section 1. The Nominating and Election Committee shall present its report before the conference assembled at the annual meeting, giving a complete list of the nominations for elective offices of the Association. The presiding officer shall then call for any nominations from the floor for any elective office. Nominations from the floor shall require the nominee’s concurrence in writing or verbal concurrence from the floor at the time of nomination, and shall state the position they seek.

Nominations from the floor shall require:

Written notification of the nominee’s intent to run off the floor stating the position they are seeking, to the Executive Director, a minimum of sixty (60) days prior to the annual meeting.

The nominee’s concurrence in writing or verbal concurrence from the floor at the time of nomination, and shall state the position they seek.

A candidate can only seek nomination to one position. After calling three (3) times for any further nominations, the presiding officer shall declare the nominations closed.

Constitution

The intent of this Constitution change is to require all candidates for the office of president, 1st vice president, or 2nd vice president to hold or have held the position of chief of their department.

ARTICLE III
Officers

Section 3. The President, First Vice-President and Second Vice-President must be chosen to consist of two volunteer active members and one paid active member of the Association and must be a current member of the Board of Directors for a minimum of three (3) years. The EMS Director shall not be eligible to hold the offices of President, First Vice-President or Second Vice-President. Only active members of the fire service section who hold or have previously held the position of chief of the department deputy chief, assistant chief or battalion chief shall be eligible to hold the offices of President, First Vice President or Second Vice President.