OASWCDE By-Laws
For informational purposes only- Contact OASWCDE for official copy of by-laws
Article I - Organization The name of this organization will be the Ohio Association of Soil & Water Conservation District Employees (OASWCDE), and shall be affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (OFSWCD).
Article II - Purpose The purpose of this association will be to strengthen local soil and water district programs in the State of Ohio by:
1. Promoting the professional development of district employees.
2. Enhancing cooperation between districts through improved communications and information sharing.
3. Establishing a platform from which to communicate with affiliated state and national associations.
Article III - Nature This association shall be a not-for-profit organization. Its function will be to develop, strengthen, and promote conservation district programs within the State of Ohio. This association will not support any attempt to obtain gains from collective bargaining or any other coercion that violates the purpose of this association as stated in Article II.
Article IV -Membership and Dues
1. Any person who is an employee of a conservation district or under its direction on a seasonal, part-time, permanent part-time, or a full time basis shall be eligible for membership in this association. Upon payment of dues, the employee will be considered a member in good standing for that year and through the date of the conclusion of the next annual meeting.
2. Voting Members - Each active member who has paid their annual membership fee will be eligible to vote in all the affairs of the association. No proxy voting shall be permissible in the affairs of this association. Only members present at a meeting may vote.
3. Non-voting/Affiliate Member - The non-voting member is any person engaged in any activity complementary to, or indirectly associated with a district, and any person, firm, agency, organization or corporation assisting or concerned with district programs. The required financial contribution for non-voting members will be determined by the Board of Directors. The non-voting members of the association will be eligible to attend the meetings of the association and to receive its publications
Article V- Board of Directors
1. The association will be managed by a Board of ten (10) Directors, two (2) representing each Ohio Soil and Water Area. Election of Directors occur at the “annual meeting” of the association. Nominations will be made from the roster of voting members.
2. Directors serve a three (3) year term. Directors may be reelected and shall assume office immediately upon (re)election.
3. To be eligible to serve as a Director of the association, persons must be a voting member of the association and permanently employed by an Ohio SWCD.
4. A quorum of Directors will be three-fifths (3/5) majority to hold a meeting. A Director may participate in any meeting of the Directors by means of conference telephone, or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons in the meeting can hear and respond. Such participation constitutes presence in person at the meeting. Votes will be conducted by parliamentary procedures. Meetings of Directors will be open to the association; however, only Directors may vote at Director’s meetings.
5. The Board of Directors may establish standing and temporary committees within the membership. Chairpersons of such committees shall be approved by the President of the Association.
6. A vacancy in the membership of the Board of Directors will be filled by the Executive Committee, by appointment, after consultation with the Director(s) from that area. A member so elected to fill vacancy shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term.
7. Any Director missing three (3) consecutive board meetings may be removed from the board by a majority vote of the remaining Directors.
Article VI - Officers
1. A President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer will be elected each year by the board immediately following the annual meeting of the association.
2. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-president will succeed to that office for the remainder of the unexpired term. In the event of a vacancy in the office of either Secretary or Treasurer, the President will appoint a Secretary or Treasurer to serve until the next election of officers, when a Secretary or Treasurer will be elected to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. A vacancy in the office of Vice-president will be filled by the Board of Directors.
3. The President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer will constitute the Association's Executive Committee which will have the power to act in the name of the Association between regular or special board meetings. An officer may participate in any meeting of the Executive Committee by means of conference telephone, or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons in the meeting can hear and respond. Such participation constitutes presence in person at the meeting.
Article VII - Amendments Amendments to these bylaws shall be a two-step process.
Step 1. Amendments will be sent to the OFSWCD in the form of a resolution to be voted on. Resolutions will require a majority vote from the OFSWCD.
Step 2. Amendments will be made at the annual meeting of the association by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present. All amendments or additions to these bylaws will be sent to all association members thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.
Article VIII - Dissolution
Upon dissolution of the Ohio Association of Soil & Water Conservation District Employees, the Secretary and Treasurer will transfer any possessions of the association to the Secretary-Treasurer of OFSWCD.
OASWCDE Bylaws Last Revision
August 1998
February 2015