SmokeFree Dutchess By-Laws

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SMOKEFREE DUTCHESS BY-LAWS 2004

ARTICLE I
NAME, LOCATION AND TERRITORY

The name of the organization shall be SmokeFree Dutchess of Dutchess County.

The territory within which the organization shall operate will be in Dutchess County.

ARTICLE II
GOAL AND PURPOSES

Mission: SmokeFree Dutchess (SFD) was created to reduce the risk of tobacco related morbidity and mortality by lowering the prevalence of tobacco use in Dutchess County and eliminating exposure of environmental tobacco smoke to its residents.

To achieve this goal SmokeFree Dutchess embraces the following purposes:

1. To change the social environment so that the use of tobacco becomes non-normative, through changes in policies that restrict and regulate where tobacco can be used.

2. To educate and make the citizenry aware of the health benefits of clean indoor air, prevention of tobacco use, and existing legislative policies in effect in the State of New York. Work towards educating the community leaders on the advantages of price incentives on cigarettes.

3. To ensure media and public support of the above, and promote effective media or marketing activities that will reduce tobacco use, including pro health advertising that will further curtail and discourage tobacco use among youth, women, and the general population.

4. To ensure individuals or institutions who desire assistance in smoking prevention or cessation services know where to get them, by coordinating the program services and activities which can further our mission.

5. To encourage, foster, and conduct education and prevention programs that will target at risk populations, health professionals and others including but not exclusive to youth, pregnant women, teachers, health educators, and media specialists.

6. To be proactive in tobacco issues on a local, statewide and national level especially as they promote public health.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership shall be open to all individuals and private or public organizations residing in or serving Dutchess County residents willing to subscribe to the mission, principles, goals and purposes of the Coalition.

2. Memberships shall be classified as follows:

A. The permanent steering committee members of the coalition represent the American Cancer Society (ACS), American Lung Association (ALA), American Heart Association (AHA), Dutchess County Department of Health, Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency, Inc., Dutchess Health 2000, the Dutchess County Medical Society, Reality Check Program, and an honorary community member. Two additional members will be identified from the general membership; nomination will be based on their meeting attendance and participation with coalition projects.
B. General Membership is open to all individuals public or private and organizations committed to the coalition mission.

ARTICLE IV
ORGANIZATIONAL INTENT

SmokeFree Dutchess shall function in a manner that does not compromise the autonomy or prerogative of any member. It shall be a non-profit pro-active and pro-health organization.

ARTICLE V
MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP

1. The coalition shall hold monthly meetings.

2. The steering committee shall meet on a monthly basis before the Coalition meeting. Steering Committee members must attend a minimum of eight (8) Steering Committee and Coalition meetings per year. A representative acting on behalf of the Steering Committee member should be sent in the place of any member who is unable to attend. Failure to attend these mandatory meetings will be evaluated by the rest of the committee whether another coalition member should occupy their position.

3. Any agency or organization in receipt of a mini-grant from the coalition must attend all monthly coalition meetings as well as any committee meetings as outlined in their contract.

4. Any Coalition member who participates in any SmokeFree Dutchess activity shall report to the SFD staff their activity in the Performance Report Form that is due on the first of the following month to the Project Director

ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE

1. The Steering Committee is formed for the purpose of providing leadership and direction to the Coalition and ensuring proper management of its activities. The Steering Committee shall consist of no more that eleven (11) members, including the permanent membership plus two (2) additional members selected by the active members on an annual basis. Additional members are identified by the coalition based on their meeting attendance and participation with coalition projects. The general members shall vote additional Steering Committee members on an annual basis. A steering committee member may submit a letter to the steering committee requesting a proxy to represent their organization in their absence.

2. It is the responsibility of the steering committee to ensure the proper execution of workplan goals and objectives as set forth by the NYSDOH, collaborate on and approve annual work plan and budget for the coalition.

3. The permanent members of the Coalition represent the American Cancer Society (ACS), American Lung Association (ALA), American Heart Association (AHA), Dutchess County Department of Health, Dutchess County Council on Alcoholism and Chemical Dependency, Dutchess Health 2000, the Dutchess County Medical Society, Reality Check, and an honorary community member.

4. Fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the Committee Members shall constitute quorum at all regular or special meetings of the Coalition for the transaction of any business except to adjourn. The affirmative vote of a majority of the members at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be necessary and sufficient for the adoption of any resolution and the transaction of any business.

5. Elections of the Steering Committee’s non-permanent members will be as follows: A call for nomination form will be sent to all members 120 days prior to the annual event and returned to the SFD staff within 30 days. From these nominations a ballot list of names will be mailed to each coalition member 60 days prior to the annual event. Signed ballots must be returned to SFD staff in 30 days. The SFD staff will tally votes and the results will be presented at the Annual Coalition meeting. From the ballot results, the Coalition members present will select officers. The chairperson shall designate the nominating committee to coordinate nomination process.

6. To reach a decision in the absence of a quorum attempts should be made to call an emergency meeting of voting members within forty-eight (48) hours, or arrange for a conference call.

7. Members of the Steering Committee are the official spokespersons of the Coalition with powers to assign other members to speak on behalf of the Coalition.

8. The following officers shall be elected by the Coalition:

Elected Officers

A. Chairperson - The chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Coalition at which he or she is present, and shall perform such other duties as are assign from time to time by the Steering Committee. In the event of resignation, the vice-chair would assume the position of Chair, and the Steering Committee would then elect a new Vice-Chair.
B. Vice-Chairperson - There shall be a Vice-Chairperson; in the absence of the Chairperson the Vice-Chair shall preside at Coalition meetings. The Vice-Chair shall have such other duties and powers as are assigned by the Steering Committee.

Non-Elected Officers

C. Program Assistant - The Coalition’s Program Assistant shall keep minutes of all meetings and give meeting notice of both Steering Committee and Coalition meetings.
D. Treasurer - The treasurer shall keep account, records and disbursements of all legitimate Coalition expenses. The treasurer shall be the fiscal agent. In the event that the administering agent and the fiscal are one in the same, an independent treasurer will be elected and or approved by the Steering Committee.

9. Terms of office:

A. Officers shall be elected for a one (1) year term, but no more than two (2) consecutive terms, however, officers shall hold office until their successors are elected and in place. The Treasurer of the fiscal agent is exempt from all of the above conditions of terms.
B. Vacancies on the Steering Committee shall be filled by appointees of the remainder of the Steering Committee, and they shall serve until the next annual meeting.

10. Project Director - The members of the Steering Committee will agree on the recruitment, selection and hiring of the Project Director. The Project Director is responsible to coordinate all task and activities approved by the membership of the coalition. The Project Director will report to the Chairperson and will work closely with Steering Committee members. The Project Director’s annual performance evaluation will be completed by the Director of the administering agency with input of the steering committee. In addition, the Project Director will submit monthly reports to the State Department of Health and the Steering Committee.

11. Program Coordinator - The Grantee shall hire the Program Coordinator with approval from the members of the Steering Committee. The Program Coordinator is knowledgeable of the working goals and objectives as outlined by the SFD Annual Work Plan. The Program Coordinator’s annual performance evaluation will be completed by the Program Coordinator’s supervisor with input from the Project Director and the Steering Committee. The Program Coordinator will provide support in all SFD activities of the Project Director. The Program Coordinator will report directly to the Project Director and his/her immediate supervisor.

12. Program Assistant - The Program Assistant will provide support to all SFD activities of the Project Director and Program Coordinator. The Program Assistant will report to the Program Coordinator

ARTICLE VII
COMMITTEES

1. Coalition Meeting - All members of this coalition shall meet on a monthly basis to share information and resources, learn of the status of each committee, and work on the goals of SFD as listed in Article II.

2. Steering Committee - As described in Article VI.

3. Ad Hoc Committees - The Steering Committee and/or Coalition shall form appropriate ad-hoc committees to further the purposes of the Coalition and assign members thereof. These committees shall be dissolved when their purpose has been accomplished. For specifications of the Nominations Committee, please see Article V1 5.

ARTICLE VIII
FISCAL ARRANGEMENTS

1. Annually, the Steering Committee shall review for the membership the previous year’s income and expenditure, and shall propose for adoption by the membership a budget for the following year.

2. The Grantee will go through a bidding process with the input and approval from the steering committee to identify a subcontractor for additional support of coalition business including the logistical support for work plan activities

3. Annual Subcontractor Evaluation – the subcontractor will be evaluated by the lead agency with the input from the steering committee. This evaluation should be completed 45 days before RFP renewal.

ARTICLE IX
DISSOLUTION OF ASSETS

Should the Coalition be dissolved, remaining funds will be governed by contractual agreements the Coalition has with its funding agencies. No residue thereof will be returned to members, but shall be spent to further the goals of tobacco control.

ARTICLE X
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall govern the procedures of the Coalition in all cases to which they are applicable and by which are not inconsistent with these by-laws.

ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS

After thirty (30) days of prior notice, these by-laws may be amended by a simple majority of members present and voting at a membership meeting. Any amendments made to these by-laws shall be mailed to general membership.

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Call SmokeFree Dutchess @ 845-483-7651 • Poughkeepsie, NY

SmokeFree Dutchess is a community partnership with the American Cancer Society (ACS); the American Heart Association (AHA); the American Lung Association (ALA); the Dutchess County Department of Health; the Dutchess County Medical Society; Council on Addiction Prevention & Education of Dutchess County, Inc (CAPE); Vassar Brothers Medical Center; Saint Francis Hospital and Health Centers; community based organizations, physicians, businesses, schools, and Dutchess County residents.