NORTHEAST REGIONAL COALITION
By-Laws
ORIGINAL APPROVAL JUNE 12, 2006
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BY-LAWS OF ICC NORTHEAST
REGIONAL COALITION
ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION
Section 1.
The name of this organization
shall be ICC Northeast Regional Coalition. It shall be organized
as a non-stock, not-for- profit corporation under Section 501
(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code and the laws of the state of
New York.
Section 2.
The corporate office shall be
located within the boundaries of ICC [International Code
Council] Northeast Region VI, defined as the states of
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York,
Rhode Island and Vermont. The organization may have such other
office or offices as the business of the organization may
require, in such other place as the members may designate.
ARTICLE II – PURPOSE
Section 1.
The purpose of this organization,
within the ICC Northeast Regional Coalition area, shall be to
bring together regulatory agencies, organizations, associations,
groups and individuals engaged in the promulgation,
administration, enforcement and implementation of safety, health
and welfare in the construction, maintenance and protection of
buildings and structures in order to:
a.
Enhance public safety,
health and welfare through regional cooperation and coordination
of all groups and organizations involved;
b.
Assist and encourage the
inception, maintenance and advancement of professional standards
of training for all individuals involved in construction,
maintenance and protection of buildings and structures, and
promote continuing education and competency training for
licensure, certifications, registrations for all affected
parties;
c.
Disseminate and share
information, experience and policy; exchange ideas; discuss
mutual problems and establish uniformity in interpretation,
application and enforcement of all applicable codes through
regular meetings, seminars and an integrated information network
among jurisdictions;
d.
Provide direction to the
ICC Board of Directors regarding common regional issues and
interests at regional and national forums, participate in code
formation processes, and encourage voluntary service on national
committees where technical expertise and experience can be
contributed;
e.
Support and promote
efficient adoption, administration and enforcement of uniform
building, maintenance and fire protection codes and other
related codes and standards, and promote programs of legislation
of benefit to the public which will develop increased levels of
safety, health and welfare in buildings and other structures;
f.
Coordinate and cooperate
with related governmental agencies involved in the
administration of building and safety regulations, with design
professionals and their respective organizations, and with the
trades, manufacturers and associations within the construction
industry;
g.
Promote and promulgate the
understanding of interpretations and enforcement issues of
uniform codes and standards;
h.
Create a better public
understanding and appreciation of safety, health and welfare
regulations and their importance to the stability and prosperity
of the communities; and promote the maximum benefits to safety
of life, health and property within acceptable risk factors and
at reasonable costs;
i.
Foster personal and
professional support through aid, education and assistance to
members in the pursuit of all goals and objectives of this
organization; secure and maintain support of state and local
governmental agencies and officials in those goals and purposes;
and uphold and improve the knowledge and professionalism of all
members.
Section 2. Prohibitions
This organization may engage in
formulating building, fire or other related codes or standards
for adoption by any legislative authority. It may endorse and
recommend adoption or revisions of any nationally recognized
model code or standard, to ICC Northeast Regional Coalition
chapters provided that any recommendation must be approved by a
majority of the board members present and voting at any regular
or special meeting.
In the event that consensus for
any amendment, revision, or proposed code change proposal can
not be reached by the Regional Coalition, then no Regional
Coalition position may be issued
Section 3. Means and Methods
Achieving the purposes and
objectives of this organization shall be accomplished by:
a.
Promoting, for all
jurisdictions in our region, the adoption of coordinated
building, maintenance and fire protection codes, based upon
unbiased judgment and developed in a public forum;
b.
Facilitating the exchange
and dissemination of information pertaining to construction,
maintenance and protection of life and property and the
coordination of mutual response to disasters in the region;
c.
Recognizing and endorsing
recommendations of established building code organizations and
standards authorities so long as they are consistent with sound
safety practices and the goals of this organization;
d.
Working together to amend
or eliminate statutes that conflict with established national
technical provisions;
e.
Involving the several
states and their administrations, public officials, and
associations in the process;
f.
Publicizing the purposes
and activities of this organization through contact with public
officials in other branches of government and representatives of
the design and construction industry;
g.
Maintaining a high degree
of integrity and openness in public relations;
h.
Creating good fellowship
and mutual understanding among members and with industry through
meetings and similar activities;
i.
Establishing and
collecting dues, fees and other income for the furtherance of
the objectives of the organization;
ARTICLE III
– POWERS
Section 1.
By Laws
The
organization shall have the power to adopt by –laws, which may
provide for:
a. Various classes of membership and
fixing the qualifications thereof;
b. Designation of a Board of
Directors, it’s Officers, their duties, methods of election,
terms of office;
c. Establishing standing, special and
ad-hoc committees;
d. Holding of regular and special
meetings;
e. Amending of this constitution and
it’s bylaws;
f. Any other matters as may be
necessary for the fulfillment of the objectives of the
organization.
ARTICLE IV
- MEMBERSHIP
Membership
shall be classified as Active, Associate, or Honorary.
Section 1.
Active
Active membership shall be
limited to persons and groups actively engaged in the
promulgation, administration and/or enforcement of safety,
health and welfare regulations within Northeast Regional
Coalition
Section 2.
Associate
Associate
membership shall be limited to national, regional and state
organizations; architects, engineers and similar design
professionals and individuals concerned with the creation of
buildings and structures; building materials and systems
manufacturers and their organizations; trade and construction
industry organizations and individuals.
Section 3.
Honorary
Honorary
membership may be conferred upon any individual by majority vote
of members present at any regular meeting of the organization,
upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors or by a 2/3
vote of the membership present.
ARTICLE V
A. BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
Section 1.
Representation
To insure
uniformity of representation, the Board of Directors shall be
comprised of:
a. Three (3) representatives
chosen at the state level by each of the member states, all of
which shall be ICC members.
b. If the eligibility of any
Director of this organization ceases during their term in office
due to death, disability or employment status, the state,
represented by that Board member shall name a successor from
among its eligible candidates.
c. Term of office shall be three
(3) years by state appointment or reappointment. Notice of
selection and the term of office shall be sent by certified
mail, return receipt requested, to the Secretary/Treasurer.
Section 2. Meetings;
Quorum
The Board of Directors shall meet
at such time and in such places as determined by the majority of
the Board upon call of the Chairman of the Board. At any
meeting of the Board, a simple majority of the elected Board
members shall constitute a quorum. Each Board member may have an
alternate member who shall be available for, and take the place
of, their respective member in their absence. Alternates shall
be seated in the absence of their respective member, and be
entitled to participate fully in all business of the Board.
Alternates shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, in
the same manner as the Board member for whom he or she would
function. A written proxy form must be submitted to the
Secretary/Treasurer.
With approval
of the Executive Committee, any meeting or vote of the ICC
Northeast Regional Coalition Board of Directors may be conducted
by teleconference or other electronic means and shall be binding
upon the Coalition.
Section 3.
Notice of Meeting
Each member of
the Board shall receive notice of meetings not less than ten
(10) days prior to the meeting unless so waived by the majority
of the Board members
Section 4.
Duties
The Board of
Directors shall propose new items of business and make
recommendations to the body at the regular meetings. Such
business and recommendations shall be consistent with the
purposes of the organization as outlined in Article II, Section
1 of the By-Laws.
The Board
shall authorize the depository of any funds of the organization
and designate the Secretary/Treasurer or other Board member to
draw on such funds. A minimum bond as to be determined by the
Board may be required of those so designated. The Board shall
determine expenditures either within an approved budget or by
resolution designating the officer or officers authorized to
approve expenditures within specified limits. In the interim,
between meetings of the Board, the Chairman and/or Vice Chairman
of the Board shall approve ordinary expenses necessary to
conduct the business of the organization, and furnish an
accounting thereof to the Board for approval at the next regular
meeting of the Board. The fiscal affairs shall be audited and
certified annually by the Board.
Section 5.
Conduct of Meetings
Business
conducted at all meetings of the Board shall follow Robert’s
Rules of Order. The Chairman of the Board shall designate a
Parliamentarian.
B.
OFFICERS
Section 1.
Executive Committee
The Officers
of this organization shall be Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and
Secretary/Treasurer who shall form the Executive Committee. The
Board of Directors at the first meeting of the Board and
bi-annually thereafter shall elect the Officers. At no time
shall two or more Officers be from the same state.
Section 2.
Duties and Powers
The duties and
powers of the Officers shall be the duties normally prescribed
to their respective offices. It shall be the responsibility of
the Officers to plan, pursue and implement policies that will
promote the purposes of the organization.
Section 3.
Succession
In the event
of a vacancy in any office, the Board will, by election, fill
the vacancy for the unexpired term.
Section 4.
Term of Office
All officers
shall be elected for a term of two (2) years.
C.
COMMITTEES
Section 1.
Establishment of Committees; Appointment
The Board
shall, from time to time, determine and establish the standing
and special committees necessary to effectively carry out the
program of the organization. The duties, responsibilities,
limitations, and other directives to the committees shall be
clearly stated in the resolutions establishing them.
The Chairman
shall appoint the members of all committees with the advice and
consent of the Board.
ARTICLE VI – ADOPTION AND
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Effective Date
The bylaws of this organization
shall become effective upon their adoption by a majority vote of
the Board of Directors of the organization present and voting at
the first announced general membership meeting.
Section 2. Amendments
Amendments to the Constitution or
By-Laws, as adopted in accordance with Article VI, Section 1, of
this document shall require an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the
Board of Directors present at any general membership meeting of
this organization provided that not less than thirty (30) days
notice of any proposed changes shall have been provided to each
member. All other amendments to rules and procedures shall
require a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors of 50 %
of ICC Chapters, by State, represented in the Northeast Region.
