Last Revised Date: 10-04-2016
Constitution for Atlantic County Retired Educators Association
Article I – Name and Affiliation
Section 1: The name of this Association shall be The Atlantic County Retired Educators Association (ACREA), hereafter referred to as the Association. The Association shall be an affiliate of the New Jersey Retirees’ Education Association (NJREA), New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), National Education Association (NEA), and NEA-Retired (NEA-R). The Association shall abide by the New Jersey Retirees’ Education Association’s standards for local association affiliation and shall forward a copy of its constitution to NJREA. Affiliation shall not legally carry any liability for damages on the Association or NJREA due to actions taken independently by either.
Section 2: The Association shall be incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Title 15A: 2-8 New Jersey Domestic Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Section 3: The Association shall apply for tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code 501 c (4) and govern itself in a manner that will not jeopardize its tax exempt status. The Association may apply to NJREA to be included in a group exemption letter.
Article II – Purposes
Section 1: To promote the social, professional, and economic status of retired members.
Section 2: To keep members informed about the benefits available to them and how to maintain these benefits.
Section 3: To provide meetings during which members may obtain valuable information.
Section 4: To promote the general welfare of members, to advance educational standards and to establish and maintain good community relations.
Section 5: To further the advancement of public education in New Jersey and the United States.
Section 6: To advocate, promote, and urge the passage of local, county, state and national legislation benefiting all retired people.
Section 7: To cooperate actively with NJEA, NJREA, NEA and NEA-R.
Article III – Membership
Section 1: The following persons may become members of the Atlantic County Retired Educators Association by payment of annual dues, provided that they maintain unified membership, where eligible, in the New Jersey Education Association, New Jersey Retirees’ Education Association and NEA-Retired (a program of the National Education Association) and by satisfying the following criteria:
- Any person who is retired and was employed in a professional or support capacity in a public or state school, college, university, or other institution or agency operating under the laws of the State of New Jersey and, who, where eligible, was a member of the appropriate affiliated association(s) is eligible to become a member of the ACREA regardless of residency.
Section 2: County life membership is available in the ACREA to current and future members at the rate of 25 times the annual county dues rate. An Atlantic County retiree who becomes a NJREA lifetime member must also join the ACREA as a lifetime member. Lifetime dues shall be invested in a separate financial account.
Section 3: Persons who were born before September 1, 1936 shall not be required to become members of NJREA or NEA-R if they were members of the ACREA during the 2010-11 and 2011-12 fiscal years and not members of NJREA and NEA-R during that year. They can, however, continue to maintain their current and continuous membership in ACREA. Membership in ACREA is required to participate in meetings and receive any ACREA members only benefit.
Section 4: Persons who were life members of NJREA and NEA-R (retired or pre-retired) prior to September 1, 2011 shall not be required to become members of ACREA. However, membership in the ACREA is strongly recommended. Membership in ACREA is required to participate in meetings and receive any ACREA members only benefit. Persons retiring from employment in an Atlantic County school district as life members of NJREA after September 1, 2011 are required to become members of the ACREA.
Section 5: Persons who are members of NJREA and NEA-R prior to September 1, 2011 and who reside outside of New Jersey shall not be required to become members of ACREA. However, membership in the ACREA is strongly recommended. Membership in ACREA is required to receive any ACREA members only benefit. Persons retiring from employment in an Atlantic County school district after September 1, 2011 and reside outside of New Jersey and who are members on NJREA are required to become members of the ACREA.
Article IV – Officers
Section 1: The officers of this Association shall consist of president, vice president, corresponding secretary, recording secretary and treasurer.
Section 2: To be eligible to hold office or to be a committee chairperson, one must be a unified member of NJREA.
Section 3: The officers shall be elected at the spring general membership meeting. The president, corresponding secretary and treasurer shall be elected in even numbered years. The vice-president and recording secretary shall be elected in odd numbered years. A term of office shall be for two years. Terms of office shall be for two successive terms. After one term out of office, a person may serve in that office again.
Section 4: The elected officers shall be installed following their election at the spring meeting. The term of office shall commence September 1st. Each retiring officer shall transfer, on good order, to his/her successor, all materials and equipment belonging to that office.
Section 5: If a vacancy occurs in the office of president, the vice-president shall assume the office of president and shall serve until the next regularly scheduled election. If a vacancy occurs in any other office, the Executive Committee shall appoint by a majority vote of all those present a successor until the next election.
Section 6: A person who fills an unexpired term until the next regular election, or who has been elected to fill a one-year term, will not lose eligibility for being elected to serve the number of full terms listed for that office as stated in Section 3.
Section 7: Officers of the Association shall serve their terms so long as they ethically and satisfactorily perform the duties of their office. Where an officer is guilty of misconduct, such officer may be removed for cause (shown after notice and a hearing) and by a majority vote of the voting members of the Executive Committee of the Association.
- Recommendation for recall can be made by a submission of petition containing the signatures of 40% of the ACREA membership to the Executive Committee.
- The Executive Committee shall notify in writing any officer who has been recommended for recall.
- Any officer may appeal in writing to the Executive Committee.
- The Executive Committee shall schedule hearings to review the recommendation of recall of an officer.
- The report of those hearings shall be made available to the membership.
- A general membership meeting shall be called two weeks after the issuance of the report.
- Such recall shall be determined by a majority vote of the membership in attendance at said meeting.
Article V – Executive Committee
Section 1: The officers, the immediate past president and the chairpersons of the standing committees shall constitute the Executive Committee. Each officer and committee chair have one vote. A person may serve as an officer or chair of more than one committee, however may only have one vote.
Article VI – Committees
Section 1: The president shall appoint, with the approval of the Executive Committee, chairpersons of the standing committees. Chairs of these committees shall have voting rights on the Executive Committee.
Government Relations: Legislative, Congressional Contact
(Two voting members)
Membership
Communications
Member Benefits
Section 2: In addition, there are other committees including, but not limited to, the following. The chairs of the following committees may participate in Executive Committee meetings but shall not have voting rights.
Audit
Budget
Constitution
Educational Support Professionals
Elections
Policy
Program Planning
Section 3: Ad hoc committees may be appointed as needed.
Article VII – Amendments
Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by thirty percent (30%) of the general membership or by a majority vote of the voting members of the Executive Committee. A two-thirds majority vote of the members attending any regular meeting of the general membership, or a special meeting of the general membership called for this purpose, shall be necessary for the adoption of such amendments provided that notice of the meeting and proposed amendment(s) have been mailed or e-mailed at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting.
Approved by ACREA General Membership October 4, 2016
BYLAWS for Atlantic County
Article I – Meetings
Section 1: Executive Committee The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President, or at the request of any (4) four voting members of the Committee. There shall be at least (3) three meetings each year.
Section 2: a. The Executive Committee shall arrange at least three (3) meetings of the general membership each year. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the President or upon written request of one-quarter of the members for a specific purpose; but no business other than that for which the meeting is called may be transacted.
At least one week prior to each general membership meeting, the Corresponding Secretary shall notify all members of the time and place of said meeting.
Section 3: The order of business at any General Membership meeting shall be as follows:
Call to Order
Approval of Minutes
Correspondence
Report of Treasurer
Reports of Standing Committees
Reports of Special Committees
Old Business
New Business
Adjournment
Article II – Quorum
Section 1: A majority of the Executive Committee voting members shall constitute a quorum for the Executive Committee meetings.
Section 2: The members present shall constitute a quorum for the General Membership meetings.
Article III – Power of Officers
Section 1: President The President shall preside over meetings of the Executive Committee, and the General Membership. The President shall appoint, with approval of the Executive Committee, the chairperson and members of all committees and shall be the executive officer of the Association. The President shall represent the Association before the public either personally or through delegates and shall perform all other functions usually attributed to this office. The President is the representative of ACREA at the NJREA Delegate Council.
Section 2: Vice President The Vice President shall assume all duties of the President in the President’s absence and shall perform all other functions usually attributed to this office. The Vice President shall work closely with one or more standing committees as the President may suggest. In the case of a presidential vacancy, the vacancy shall be filled by the Vice President who shall serve until the next election.
Section 3: Recording Secretary The Recording Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee and General Membership; shall prepare such minutes for reproduction and distribution, shall maintain official files, and shall perform any other duties relative to the position of Recording Secretary.
Section 4: Corresponding Secretary The Corresponding Secretary shall assist the President with Association correspondence; shall notify members of meetings; and shall perform any other duties relative to the position of Corresponding Secretary.
Section 5: Treasurer The Treasurer shall hold the funds of the Association and disburse them accordingly upon submission of vouchers approved by the President; shall sign all checks along with the President or other member authorized by the Executive Committee; shall report at each meeting of the Executive Committee and General Membership, and shall keep the President and the Executive Committee informed of the financial condition of the Association. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual financial statement which shall be distributed to members at the winter meeting; shall file the appropriate Federal and State forms; shall serve on the Budget Committee; and shall be bonded under a policy provided by NJEA. The bank account(s) in which all deposits are made shall be in the name of the Association. Notification of the name of the bank in which dues are deposited shall be sent to NJREA. Any change of the bank in which dues are deposited shall be sent to NJREA within thirty (30) days of the change. Endorsement of checks shall be limited to endorsements for deposit to the credit of the Association only. No payments in cash (including checks made out to “cash”) shall be made from funds of the Association. The books and accounts of the Treasurer shall be audited by an outside source according to IRS regulations at least once a year.
Section 6: Officers are expected to attend NJREA trainings and other activities related to his/her position.
Article IV – Powers and Duties of the Executive Committee
The Executive Committee shall:
- be responsible for the management of the Association
- authorize all expenditures within the limits of the budget
- authorize by a two-thirds vote authorize the spending of money for non
- budgeted items not to exceed $1000 in any one case. Disbursements in excess of $1000 must have the approval of a majority of the General Membership
propose policies for consideration by the members - execute policies established by the membership
- report to the members its transactions
- establish special committees as may be necessary
- set the agenda for the General Membership meetings.
Executive Committee meetings will be held prior to the general meeting.
Article V – Powers and Duties of the General Membership
Section 1: The General Membership shall:
- approve the budget
- approve non-budgeted disbursements in excess of $1000
- set the dues for the Association
- act on reports of committees
- establish the policies of the Association
- adopt rules for governing the conduct of meetings as are consistent with this Constitution and Bylaws
- be the final judge of qualifications and elections of officers, Executive Committee members and Association representatives.
Section 2: Powers not delegated to the Executive Committee, the officers or other groups in the Association shall be vested in the General Membership.
Article VI – Elections
Section 1: Nominations
A list of names of candidates shall be prepared by the Elections Committee and presented to the Executive Committee and General Membership at least fourteen (14) days before the election. Candidates may be nominated from the floor at the general election meeting.
Section 2: Balloting
At the spring General Membership, meeting members shall vote for officers by secret paper ballot in all contested elections.
If the election for office is contested, members of the Elections Committee shall distribute, collect and tabulate the votes, and present their written report to the chairperson who will announce the results. For an uncontested election, a voice vote will be called by the chairperson who will announce the results.
Results of the elections of officers shall be reported immediately to NJREA, NJEA, NEA, and the ACREA by a member of the Elections Committee.
Article VII – Committees
Section 1: Structure There shall be standing committees carrying the specific functions listed below. They shall be selected to broadly represent the membership.
Section 2: Committee Appointment The President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, shall appoint members of the standing committees and fill all unexpired terms as vacancies occur. The chairpersons or designees of each committee shall be the representative of the ACREA to meetings of equivalent NJREA committees.
Section 3: Meetings Each standing committee shall meet as necessary.
Section 4: Reports Chairpersons shall report as necessary and required by and of the president, the Executive Committee, and/or the General Membership and shall prepare an annual written report which shall become a part of the continuing committee record in the Association files.
Section 5: Committee Titles and Duties
The Communications Committee shall be responsible to keep the general membership informed of Association action through fliers, newsletters, e-mail, website and social media. It shall use an e-mail / telephone call system for the membership in case of a crisis situation. All communications shall be reviewed by the Association President.
The Legislative / Government Relations Committee shall have broad concern for local, regional, state and national legislation affecting the interests of the Association. It shall inform members about newly proposed and enacted legislation related to their welfare, promote activities leading to the passage of desirable legislation, encourage members to exercise their responsibility for voting and their right to participate in political activity at all levels.
The Membership Committee shall organize and conduct membership enrollment and maintain accurate member records.
The Member Benefits Committee shall communicate with members about programs, services and benefits of the Association.
Section 6: Special Committees Each year the President shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint special committees.
The Audit Committee shall operate according to rules approved by the Executive Committee and those found in the NJREA Standards of Affiliation. No officer shall serve on the Audit Committee. The books and accounts shall be examined at least once a year. A copy of the audit shall become part of the Association’s permanent record. A copy shall be sent to NJEA.
The Budget Committee shall propose to the Executive Committee a budget for the Association each year. Members of the Budget Committee shall have full and complete access to all financial and other records of the Association pertinent to the preparation of the annual budget.
The Constitution Committee shall review the Constitution and recommend additions or revisions as needed.
The Educational Support Professionals (ESP) Committee shall represent the Association for ESP issues and report to the membership. The chair shall endeavor to recruit and encourage ESP membership and involvement.
The Elections Committee shall prepare a list of names of candidates to be presented to the Executive Committee. No officer of the Association or member of the Executive Committee shall serve on the Elections Committee. A list of names of candidates shall be prepared by the Committee and presented to the Executive Committee. Members of the Elections Committee shall distribute, collect and tabulate the votes and present their written report to the chairperson who will announce the results.
The Policy Committee shall review the policies and recommend additions or revisions as needed.
The Program Planning Committee shall make arrangements for and facilitate general membership meetings/luncheons and, if necessary, other events.
The President shall, with the approval of the Executive Committee, appoint other special committees, as may be necessary, and shall disband them upon completion of their duties. These committees shall operate according to rules approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 7: Committee chairs are expected to represent the ACREA at NJREA and NJEA meetings and other activities related to his/her position. Officers and committee chairs are expected to attend Executive Committee and General membership meeting
Article VIII – Dues
Any change in the rate of dues or levy of general or special assessment must be approved by a majority vote of General Membership in good standing after reasonable notice of the intention to vote upon such question. Voting shall take place at a general or special membership meeting. Changes in dues shall be in accordance with the policies and procedures of NJREA.
Article IX – Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Association shall begin September 1 and end August 31.
Article X – Authority
The most recent edition of Roberts Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary authority for the Association on all questions not covered by the Constitution and Bylaws and such standing rules as the Executive Committee may adopt.
Article XI – Affiliate Dissolution
In the event that the ACREA dissolves, all monies belonging to the ACREA shall be held in escrow by the NJREA until such time a reorganization takes place.
Article XII – Amendments
These Bylaws may be amended by a majority of those voting at any regular meeting, or special general membership meeting called for this purpose, provided that each amendment has been introduced at the preceding meeting of the Executive Committee and that copies have been distributed to the general membership at least two calendar weeks in advance of the meeting.
Approved by ACREA General Membership October 4, 2016