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BYLAWS
UPPER PENINSULA CHAPTER
MICHIGAN SOCIETY OF AMERICAN FORESTERS

Adopted by Member Vote October 1967
Amended March 1979
Amended October 1983
Amended March 1985
Amended and approved by Member Vote November 1995
Amended and Approved by Member Vote  Month Day, 2010

ARTICLE I – NAME AND ORGANIZATION

Section 1.  Name

This organization is a unit of the Michigan Society of American Foresters and shall be known as the Upper Peninsula Chapter of the Michigan Society of American Foresters as provided in Article 10, Section A of the Bylaws of the Michigan Society of American Foresters.

Section 2.  Membership Area

The geographical area covered shall include all of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Section 3.  Objectives

This mission of the U.P. Chapter is responsible stewardship of our forests while meeting the vital needs of society.  The objectives shall be, first, to advance the science, technology, education and practical of professional forestry within the Upper Peninsula and to use the knowledge and skills of the profession to benefit society.  Our vision is to create a strong public awareness of professional forestry; be recognized as THE professional forestry organizations; participate in constructive open dialogue with other resource professionals, conservation groups, state and local government, and the general public; and promote and enhance the professional development of our members.

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.  Membership

Membership is open to all Fellows, Members, Technical Members, Student Members, Honorary Members, and Corresponding Members in good standing, of the Society of American Foresters, who reside or are employed within the Upper Peninsula.

Section 2.  Eligibility

All members are eligible to belong, but eligibility to vote or hold office will be governed by the rules in effect in the Parent Society.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Section 1.  Officers

The officers of this Chapter shall be a First Chair, Second Vice Chair, and Secretary-Treasurer.  The officers together with the immediate past Chair and designated representatives from the county groups shall comprise the Executive Committee.  Officers shall be voting members of the Society and the state society for the duration of their terms. Term of office for Chair and Vice Chair shall be for two years and commence on January 1.

 

Section 2.  Vacated Offices

Elected offices which become vacant during the elected term of office shall be filled by appointment by the Executive Committee from the voting members of the Chapter.  An appointee shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term or until his successor is elected.  Should more than two of the elected positions be vacant at once, soon after the regular election, the Executive Committee, at its discretion, shall call a special election to fill the vacated positions by the normal election procedure.  Officers so elected shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term.

Section 3.  Removal from Office

Any elected officer who fails to perform adequately the duties assigned to him may be removed from office by a two-thirds affirmative vote of all voting Chapter members voting in a letter ballot, initiated either by order of the Executive Committee or by written petition of 25 voting members.

Section 4.  Disqualification from Office

Any Chapter officer upon removal of residence from the Chapter territory, failure to pay SAF dues, or disqualification from membership in the SAF shall immediately cease to hold office, and that office shall be considered vacant.

Section 5.  Resignation from Office

Any Chapter officer may resign his office at any time.  Such resignation shall be made in writing and shall take effect and render the office vacant from the time of its delivery to the Chair or to a majority of the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE IV – DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  Chair

The Chair shall preside at the meetings of the Chapter, shall be Chair of the Executive Committee, and shall be an ex-officio member of all other committees.  He/she is responsible for developing and continuing the Chapter activities during his/her tenure of office and for organizing the membership toward meeting Chapter objectives.  He/she shall have general responsibility for all business and affairs of the Chapter.  He/she shall appoint all committees as needed and act as their counsel.  The Chair shall serve as the Chapter’s representative on the Michigan Society Executive Committee.  He/she should, whenever possible, represent the Chapter and the profession at public meetings and as spokesman to the press and other publicity outlets.  He/she shall serve a one two-year term beginning January 1.

Section 2.  1st Vice Chair

The 1st Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in carrying out Chapter activities and shall assume all duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence.  The 1st Vice Chair shall serve as Chair of the Program Committee and shall be Chair of the Membership Committee.  The Vice Chair shall become Chair in the subsequent term.

Section 3. 2nd Vice Chair

The 2nd Vice Chair shall assist the Chair in carrying out Chapter acrtivities, assume the duties of the 1st Vice Chair in the 1st Vice Chair's absence, or assume the duties of the Chair in the absence of both the chair and the 1st Vice Chair.

The 2nd Vicde Chair chall be Chair of the membership Committee. the 2nd Vice Chair shall serve for a one year term beginning Januay 1 and will assume the duties of the Vice Chairman the following year, and assume the duties of the chairman in the third year.

Section 4 3.  Secretary-Treasurer

The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify all members of the Chapter, Michigan Society Officers, and Chair of all other Chapters in the Michigan Society of scheduled meetings.  He/she shall keep minutes of all Chapter and Executive Committee meetings, conduct its general correspondence, and maintain an up-to-date membership roster.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall have custody of all Chapter funds and shall disburse all such funds as are authorized by the Executive Committee or by vote of Chapter members.  He shall keep an account of all monies received and paid out.  He shall make a clear and correct financial report at each meeting or when requested by the Chair.

Unless one is specifically appointed by the Chair, the Secretary/Treasurer shall serve as the Chapter Correspondent to the Michigan Forester (newsletter).

Also, the Secretary/Treasurer shall perform other duties as assigned.  The Secretary/Treasurer shall serve a three year term beginning January 1.

Section 5 4.  Expenditure of Funds

No officer, committee, or member shall expend Chapter money or obligate the Chapter in matters of money without authorization of the Chapter members or the Executive Committee.  Members’ approval can be granted by a majority vote of members present at a regularly scheduled meeting.  Expenditures of normal sums for postage, communications and meeting announcements are permitted without prior approval, including travel expenses and per diem for guest speakers who are not reimbursed by their employers (not to exceed $100.00).

ARTICLE V – COMMITTEES AND THEIR DUTIES

Section 1.  Executive Committee

This Committee shall consist of the four officers of the Chapter plus the immediate past Chapter Chairman and a designated representative from each active county group.  It shall have the responsibility for managing the affairs of the Chapter with authority to handle all matters not provided for in the Bylaws, to control and audit Chapter funds, to schedule and approve meetings and program plans, and to act for the Chapter on urgent matters.

The presence of one-third of the members shall constitute a quorum for conducting routine Chapter business.  For important or possible controversial matters, the other members shall be contacted for their vote by telephone or mail.  In case of a tie vote, the Chair shall decide.

Section 2.  Membership Committee

This Committee shall have the 2nd Vice Chair as its Chair and shall consist of as many members as he decides to appoint.  This Committee Chair serves as Chapter liaison to the Michigan Society Membership Committee.

It shall conduct an active campaign for recruiting new members and for retaining the present members.

Section 3.  Program Committee

The  1st Vice Chair shall be the Chair of the Program Committee.  He/she may appoint other members to assist the Chapter Chair and Executive Committee in planning and arranging for all programs and meetings.  This Committee Chair serves as Chapter liaison to the Michigan Society Program Committee.

ARTICLE VI – NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1.  General

The election of officers shall be by letter or electronic ballot in October.  The ballots shall be counted by December 1.

Section 2.  Nominations

The Chapter Chair shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of a least three voting members by September 1.  This Committee shall nominate from eligible Chapter members at least two candidates for each of the elected offices to be vacated and obtain agreement of service if elected from each nominee, and send the nominations to the Secretary/Treasurer or other officer of the Chapter by September 20.  If for any reasons a nominee is found to be ineligible the Nominating Committee shall provide another nomination within five days of notification.

Nominations by the membership at large, if endorsed by at least 25 voting members in good standing and presented to the Chapter Secretary/Treasurer in writing by October 1, shall also be included on the mail and electronic ballot.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall determine whether all nominees are voting members in good standing, eligible to hold Chapter office, and agreeable to serve if elected.  He shall report the name of any nominee who fails to qualify as a candidate for office to the Chapter Chair and Nominating Committee within five days of receiving the slate.

Section 3.  Elections

The Secretary/Treasurer shall mail or e-mail,  or provide for mailing a letter a ballot to each member in good standing in October.  The ballot shall:

 

The Tellers Committee, consisting of the Secretary/Treasurer and two voting members in good standing, shall assemble at a time and place set by the Secretary/Treasurer to count the ballots and shall certify the results of elections to the Chapter Chair and Executive Committee.  The Secretary shall hold the ballots for a period of 30 days after the publication of the election results, after which time the ballots may be destroyed.

The outcome of all elections shall be determined by a plurality or simple majority of those voting.  In the case of a tie vote, a run-off election shall be held within one month.  The ballots shall be counted by a Tellers Committee who shall promptly certify the results of the election to the Chapter Chair, the Executive Committee, the State Society Chair, the SAF Executive Vice President and the candidates for office.  The election results are to be certified on or before the 8th day of December unless an application to extend this deadline has been made to the Chapter Executive Committee.  The membership of the Chapter shall be informed of the election results as soon as possible.  by letter, by notice in the Journal of Forestry, or by notice in the Michigan Forester.

ARTICLE VII – MEETINGS

Section 1.  General

No less than two At least one Chapter Meetings per year shall be held, unless the Chapter is host to the Michigan Society meeting, in which case this would require only one meeting during that year.

Section 2.  Scheduling

Meetings shall be scheduled so as not to conflict with the Michigan Society and National SAF meetings, and to avoid conflict with as many other meetings as possible.

Section 3.  A Quorum

Twenty-five (25) members, including at least one member of the Executive Committee, shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE VIII – RESOLUTIONS AND AMENDMENTS

Section 1.  Resolutions – Adopted by Letter Ballot

Resolutions prepared by the Executive Committee, proposed by a majority vote of the members at a Chapter meeting, or proposed by a written petition of 25 or more members submitted to the Executive Committee may and shall, be submitted by a letter ballot to the entire voting membership.  A majority vote shall represent the opinion of the entire voting membership of the Chapter.  A copy of the solution and the action taken by the Chapter should be sent to the Michigan Society.

Section 2.  Resolutions – Adopted at a Meeting

Resolutions may also be adopted by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the members present at any meeting of the Chapter.  When so adopted, they shall be binding on the Chapter as a whole, and shall be so stated in the resolution.  A copy of the resolution and the action taken by the Chapter should be sent to the Michigan Society.

Section 3.  Resolutions – By the Executive Committee

Should an important and urgent issue of policy arise, the Executive Committee is also authorized to use its discretion in taking action and may issue a statement or resolution of the Executive Committee by two-thirds vote.  The statement shall represent the opinion of the Executive Committee only, and shall be so stated.  Copies of the resolution should be sent to the Michigan Society and to Chapter members.

Section 4.  Amendments to the Bylaws

These Bylaws may be amended, repealed, or altered in whole or in part by:

 

ARTICLE IX – FINANCES

Section 1.  Dues

No Chapter dues shall be charged.

Special Assessments

Special assessments may be voted by a two-thirds majority of those voting by letter ballot or at a regularly scheduled meeting, providing the type and amount of assessment is announced in the advance notice of the meeting.

ARTICLE X – RELATION TO THE PARENT SOCIETY

These Bylaws shall have no effect insofar as they conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Parent Society and the Michigan Society.