FOOTHILLS CHAPTER BY- LAWS

BY-LAW I

Name and Objectives

1.      The name of this organization shall be the Foothills Chapter of the North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Inc.

2.      The Abbreviated form of this name shall be FC - NCSS and may be used where appropriate in place of the full name.

3.      The objectives of this Chapter shall be:

a.       To protect the public welfare by encouraging members of the surveying profession to adopt and adhere to the highest standards of ethical and professional behavior;

b.      To encourage its members to provide a professional service to the public based on unique qualifications and to maintain those qualifications through continuing education, professional association and the use of current technology;

c.       To provide for active liaison and affiliation with other professional societies with similar or related interests;

d.      To promote public faith and confidence in the services rendered by members of the surveying profession;

e.       To investigate and present practical and technical methods of surveying;

f.        To encourage the enactment of laws and regulations beneficial to the surveying profession;

g.       To support and to actively participate in the uses of the North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Inc.;

BY-LAW II

Membership

1.      There shall be the following classes of membership:

A.     Those eligible to vote and hold office if a member of NCSS

1)      Regular member

2)      Life member

B.     Those eligible to vote

1)      Surveyor in Training member

2)      Associate member

C.     Other members (ineligible to vote)

1)      Honorary member

2)      Sustaining member

2.      The qualifications for membership classes are defined as the following:

A.     Regular Member. A regular member is a member who is licensed to practice surveying in North Carolina.

B.     Life Member. A life member is a member in good standing who has been a regular member for at least ten consecutive years and has reached the age of sixty-five.

C.     Surveyor in Training Member. A surveyor in training member is a member who has been certified by the N. C. Board of Registration of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors as a "Surveyor in Training.

D.     Associate Member. An associate member is a person who has an interest in the surveying profession and who has a desire to participate in the activities of this Chapter.

E.      Honorary Member (Optional). An honorary member shall be a person who has rendered outstanding service and has made valuable contributions to the surveying profession and to the Foothills Chapter in particular, as determined by the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) of this Chapter.

F.      Sustaining Member (Optional). A sustaining member is a member, either individual, partnership or corporation, surveying instruments or equipment, in the compilation or reproductions of maps or in the performance of services for land surveyors.

3.      Admissions

A.     Regular, Surveyor in Training or Associate Member. Any person desiring to become a regular, surveyor in training or associate member of this Chapter must forward a completed application form, to the Secretary-Treasurer. If the application form received by the Secretary Secretary-Treasurer bears the signature of two members of this Chapter in good standing who recommend the acceptance of the applicant, and provided the applicant meets the qualification required for the class of membership requested, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the applicant as well as the President of their acceptance. If any application form does not have two signatures as stated above, the Secretary-Treasurer shall then present the application to the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) for their consideration. If there is affirmative majority vote to accept the applicant, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the applicant of their acceptance. If the applicant receives an unfavorable majority vote, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the applicant of the action and shall inform him of the reason for the denial of his application.

B.     Life Member. Any regular member who meets the qualifications may request that they be classed as a life member. Upon verification by the Secretary-Treasurer the request shall be presented to the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) for their consideration. If the request is approved by a favorable majority vote, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall make the requested change and notify the member of this change. If the request is given an unfavorable majority vote, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the member of this action and shall inform them of the reason for the denial of their request.

C.     Honorary Member. A request to confer honorary membership upon an individual must be by written petition, signed by at least two regular members of the Chapter and presented to the Secretary-Treasurer). The petition shall then be reviewed by the Board of Directors (Executive Committee). A two-thirds favorable majority vote by the regular members present at the next regular Chapter meeting is required to confer honorary membership on an individual. The number of honorary members in the Chapter shall not exceed ten percent of the combined of all other classes.

D.     Sustaining Member. Any individual, partnership or corporation qualified to become a sustaining member of the Chapter shall make a request in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer. The request shall then be reviewed by the Board of Directors (Executive Committee). If the request is approved by a favorable majority vote, then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the applicant of the acceptance. If the request is given an unfavorable majority vote then the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the applicant of this action and shall inform them of the reason for the denial of the request.

4.      Expulsions

Any written complaint stating that a member of this Chapter has become an adversary to this Chapter and its objectives as expressed in BY-LAW I, or is in violation of the Canon of Ethics of the North Carolina Society of Surveyors, Inc., or has acted in a manner detrimental to the best interest of this Chapter, when received by the Secretary-Treasurer shall be presented to the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) for its review and consideration. The Board of Directors (Executive Committee) shall decide whether or not the matter merits a hearing. If a hearing is not justified, no further action shall be taken. If it decided that a hearing is justified, then such hearing shall be arranged and the cited member shall be notified of the accusations brought against them, as well as the date, time and place of the hearing. The cited member shall have me right at such a hearing to be heard, to present evidence on their behalf as well as to have others give information and to testify on their behalf. If the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) finds by a majority vote that the complaint is justified, it may expel the member from the Chapter's membership or take some other action against the member upon a majority vote in favor of the action. If the Board of Directors (Executive Committee) finds by majority vote that the complaint is not justified, it shall conclude the hearing and take no further action.

BY-LAW III

Officers and Their Duties

1. The officers of this Chapter shall consist of:
1. President
2. President-elect
3. Vice president
4. Secretary-Treasurer
5. Board of Directors (Executive Committee) :

Shall be the following elected officers:

1)      President

2)      President-elect

3)      Secretary-Treasurer

2. The President - The duties of the president shall include:
1. Presiding and maintaining order at all meetings of the Chapter and it Board of Directors (Executive Committee).
2. Putting all proper motions to a vote and announcing the reply, fair and impartial in all actions.
3. Being absolutely fair and impartial in all actions,
4. Being an ex-officio member of all committees,
5. Appointing members and chair to all special committees,
6. Appointing members and chair to all standing committees with the concurrence of the Board of Directors (Executive Committee).
7. Casting the deciding vote in case of a tie, or not voting at all.
8. Providing the Secretary-Treasurer with a copy of all official correspondence which he may conduct on behalf of the Chapter,
9. Attending all NCSS Board of Directors meetings or assuring that an authorized representative is attending in his place.
10. Reporting to the NCSS at their Board of Directors meeting the activities of this Chapter,
11. Performing other duties consistent with his position and the objectives of this Chapter.

3. President-elect - The duties of the President-elect shall include the following:
1. Performing the duties and exercising the powers of the President in his absence or disability,
2. Acquainting himself with the duties of the President,
3. Meeting with the committee chair to become familiar with their activities,
4. Performing such other duties as may be requested by the President.
4. Vice President - The duties of the Vice President shall include the following:

1. Performing the duties and exercising the powers of the President-elect in his absence or disability,
2. Performing such other duties as may be requested by the President or if you do not have a President-elect the duties listed above for President-elect become the duties of the Vice President,
3. Parliamentarian.
4. Secretary - The duties of the Secretary shall include the following:

1. Keeping minutes of all regular and special meetings of the Board of Directors (Executive Committee).
2. Being custodian of the correspondence of the Chapter,
3. Keeping a current roster of all members of the Chapter along with their address, telephone numbers and other pertinent information,
4. Conducting all correspondence necessary for the Chapter,
5. Keeping the NCSS posted as to current officers, members and meeting schedules,
6. Submitting any amendments to the By-Law's to the NCSS Constitution Committee for their review and for approval by the NCSS Board of Directors.
7. Performing such other duties as are incidental to the office of Secretary.
5. Treasurer - The duties of the Treasurer shall include the following:

1. a. Receiving and banking all monies received by the Chapter.
2. Keeping accurate and current records of all financial transactions of the Chapter,
3. Paying all authorized expenditures of the Chapter,
4. Giving a statement of finances requested by the President,
5. Performing such other duties as are incidental to the office of Treasurer.
6. Secretary-Treasurer (in place of Secretary and Treasurer) The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall include the following:

1. Receiving and banking all monies received by the Chapter,
2. Keeping accurate and current records of all financial transactions of the Chapter,
3. Paying all authorized expenditures of the Chapter,
4. Giving a statement of finances as requested by the President,
5. Performing such other duties as are incidental to the office of Treasurer.
7. Board of Directors ( Executive Committee) - The duties of the Board of Directors shall include the following:

1. Reviewing and deciding upon application where necessary,
2. Acting upon matters requiring decisions between meetings,
3. Conducting hearings,
4. Performing such other duties as directed by the Chapter.

BY-LAW IV

Dues and Application Fee

1. Annual dues and application fee, if any, for the various classes of membership shall be set by a vote of the membership.
2. No Chapter dues shall be required of new members in the year of their registration as licensed surveyor in North Carolina or in the year when they are certified as a Surveyor in Training in North Carolina. Only one year's exemption from Chapter dues shall be allowed, under this section.
3. Chapter dues shall be due on January 1 of the year covered. Chapter dues not paid by March 31 shall be considered delinquent. Members not having paid their Chapter dues by June 30 shall be dropped from membership and can only be reinstated by applying for new membership.
4. Annual Chapter Dues are as follows:
1. Member (PLS) $60.00
2. Associate         $20.00
3. Affiliate $20.00

BY-LAW V

Elections

1. Terms of Office. The term of office of all officers shall be one year or until a successor is elected and installed. However, the terms of office of the Directors shall be for two years with staggered terms of the office if more than one Director is provided for.
2. Nominations. The President shall appoint a nomination committee at the regular September meeting of the Chapter. The nomination committee shall present a slate of candidates for the offices to be voted on at the regular November meeting of the Chapter. After presenting the slate of candidates for office, the meeting shall be open to receive nominations from the floor.
3. Elections. When the nominations are declared closed, the election shall begin. The vote for officers shall be by Members and the President and the Secretary-Treasurer shall count the votes. The candidates receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be declared winners.
4. Installation of Officers. The installation of newly elected officers shall be at the January meeting of the Chapter.

BY-LAW VI

Meetings

1. The regular meeting of the membership of the Chapter shall be held on the second Tuesday of each month.
2. The regular meeting of the membership of the Chapter shall be held at a location decided by the Board of Directors (Executive Committee), (the membership).
3. Special meetings may be called by the president or by a majority vote of the members at a regular meeting. All voting members shall be notified in writing of the date, time, and place of such a special meeting at least five days prior to the date of such a special meeting. All matters to be considered at such special meeting shall be stated in the notice and no action on any other matters may be taken at such meetings.
4. The latest revision of Robert's Rules of Order shall be the rule by which meetings of this Chapter shall be conducted when not in conflict with State and Chapter Constitution and By-Law's.
5. The Executive Secretary of the NCSS shall be notified of the date, time and place of the regular meetings of this Chapter and of any changes thereto.

BY-LAW VII

All adopted amendments shall be promptly forward to the Secretary of NCSS for approval by the NCSS. Any adopted amendment disapproved by NCSS shall be null and void.