March 28, 2024

DRFFA Constitution & By-Laws

DALLAS RETIRED FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS

Article I – Organization

Section 1. Name

This organization shall be known as the DALLAS RETIRED FIRE FIGHTERS ASSOCIATION

 

Section 2. Affiliations

This association shall be affiliated with the Dallas Fire Fighters Association, IAFF Local #58 and with the Texas Retired Fire Fighters.

Section 3. Tenure

This Association shall be perpetual.

Section 4. Organizational Objectives

This Association shall work to promote the welfare and protect the rights privileges, benefits and entitlements of its members and shall keep its membership informed on matters relating to their status.  This Association shall work in a bipartisan manner in order to efficiently accomplish these objectives.

Section 5. Membership

This Association shall consist of retired employees of the Dallas Fire Rescue Department and their spouses and widow/widowers of retired employees of the Department.

Membership is a family membership.

Each membership has one vote in the conduct of the business of this Association.

Section 6. Government

The members assembled at the annual meeting shall be the supreme authority of this Association. Between annual meetings, all administrative, elective, and judicial powers of the Association shall be vested in the Executive Board except as otherwise expressly provided in this Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 7. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of this Association shall begin January 1st and end December 31st. 

Article II – OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS 

Section 1. Officers

The elected Officers of this Association shall consist of President, Secretary, Treasurer, First, Second, and Third Vice Presidents, and Three (3) Trustees.

Section 2. Eligibility

Any member in good standing with this Association shall be eligible for nomination and election as an officer, with the exception of the office of Second Vice president.  The Second Vice President shall be chosen from the membership of the Last Alarm Bell Honor Guard.

No elective Officer of this Association shall be entitled to hold more than one office at a time.

In case of a retiree and spouse membership, only one of these shall be eligible to serve as an officer at a time.

Section 3. Nomination and Election

Prior to the nominations and elections the President shall appoint Tellers to distribute, collect, and count the ballots and report results to the President as provided for in Article VI, Section 7 By-Laws.

Nominations shall be at the annual meeting. Voting shall be by ballot. A simple majority of those memberships present at the meeting is required to elect.

Non-contested nominations shall be declared elected by acclamation.

When there are three or more candidates for an office and none receives a majority on the first ballot, there shall be a run-off election between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes.

Section 4. Term of Office

The term of office shall be for Two (2) years for the President, Secretary, Treasurer and Vice-Presidents.

The term of office for the Three (3) Trustees shall be for Three (3) years. The Senior Trustee term shall expire and be elected each year.

Newly elected officers shall be sworn in prior to adjournment of the September Annual Meeting at which they are elected.  Their term of office shall begin on January 1 of the following year.

The President, Secretary and Second Vice President shall be elected in the odd numbered years. The Treasurer and First and Third Vice-Presidents shall be elected in the even numbered years. 

Article III – DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS 

All officers shall accept duties as directed by the official actions of the membership. The Executive Board is authorized to make all decisions necessary for the conduct of the business of this organization except as restricted by this Constitution and By-Laws.

Section 1. Duties of the President

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer of this organization. In such capacity he shall be ultimately responsible for the direction of the daily business of this organization, shall preside at all meetings, shall appoint all committees and name a Chairman, shall be Chairman of the Executive Board, shall be a member of all committees ex officio, shall call Executive Board meetings and special meetings of the membership as deemed necessary, shall accept duties as directed by the membership and shall appoint Tellers for all elections as prescribed by the By-Laws.

Section 2. Duties of the First Vice President

The First Vice President shall assume the duties of the President and act in his absence. As directed by the President, he shall assist with the administrative activities of the President. In the case of the resignation or death of the President, he shall succeed him and perform the duties of that office until the next regularly scheduled election. He shall be the Chairman of the Political Action Committee and submit a list of candidates to serve on the PAC to the President for appointment.

Section 3. Duties of the Second Vice President

The Second Vice President shall be second in the line of succession to the Presidency should both the President and First Vice President be absent or otherwise unable to fulfill their duties.  The Second Vice President shall serve as the Executive Board’s liaison with and be Chairman of the Last Alarm Bell Board. He shall recommend to the President a Vice Chairman, and additional members of the Last Alarm Bell Board.  He shall provide direction to the Board to assure that the intentions of this organization are fulfilled by the Honor Guard. 

Section 4. Duties of the Third Vice President

The Third Vice President shall be third in the line of succession to the Presidency should both the President and First and Second Vice Presidents be absent or otherwise unable to fulfill their duties.  The Third Vice President shall serve as the Executive Board’s liaison with and be a member of the Denny Burris Scholarship Committee.  He shall recommend to the President a Chairman, Vice Chairman, and additional members of the Scholarship Committee.  He shall guide all activities of the Committee including but not limited to the promotion and distribution of the Scholarship. 

Section 5. Duties of the Treasurer

The Treasurer shall receive and make distributions of all funds of this organization, shall keep financial records, prepare and present to the Trustees a financial report quarterly and make a report to the membership at the annual meeting.  The Treasurer’s duties include the distribution of funds for the benevolence activities directed by the membership (e.g. flowers, memorial donations, etc.)

The Treasurer will work with the Trustees to develop a budget for the calendar year that follows the annual meeting. 

Section 6.  Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board or the membership, shall receive and reply to all written correspondence, and maintain a membership roster with contact information.

The Secretary shall be responsible for general email correspondence with the membership and as required shall assist officers of the organization with email correspondence of specific nature relating to their area of responsibility.

The Secretary shall coordinate with the designated Webmaster to assure that the DRFFA Website is kept current with information of interest and importance to the membership.

Section 7. Trustees

The Trustees shall monitor the finances of the DRFFA and PAC fund, review financial records and report their findings at the annual meeting, and shall meet with the Executive Board to make recommendations.

With the assistance of the Treasurer the Trustees shall develop a budget for the calendar year succeeding the annual meeting and present this budget to the membership at the annual meeting.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS

Section 1. Time and Place of the Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting shall be held in the first week following September 11th, unless otherwise notified. The time and location will be determined by the Executive Board and the Board of Trustees.

Section 2. Representation

All members in good standing shall be representatives to the Annual and Special meetings.

Section 3. Special Meetings

Special meetings may be called by the President or by majority action of the Executive Board at a time and place announced with the call of the meeting. Special meetings may only consider issues for which they are called.

Section 4. Quorum

A quorum for any committee meeting or the Executive Board meeting is a majority of its members. A quorum for a meeting of the membership shall be a majority of its members or Thirteen (13) members in good standing, whichever is the smaller number.

Section 5. Parliamentary Procedure

In absence of other authority, the deliberations of this organization shall be governed by the Copyright 1956 edition of Atwood’s Rules for Meetings.

 

  Article V – Revenue

Section 1. General Operating Fund

A General Operating Fund shall be established. Dues, contributions and all other monies received, with the exception of those receipts designated specifically for the PAC fund, shall be deposited in the General Fund

The General Fund shall be used for the obligations incurred by conduct of the daily business of this organization or for the benefit of its members. The Executive Board or the membership has the authority to direct the Treasurer to make disbursements form the General Fund.

All debts and expenses shall be paid by check.

Section 2. Dues

Dues shall be determined by a majority of the members at the Annual Meeting.

All Dues shall be paid to the Treasurer. He shall deposit same into the General Operating Fund of this organization.

Section 3. Donations

Donations shall be paid to the Treasurer.  He shall deposit same into the General Operating Fund of this organization and shall properly apply the amounts of the donations to the categories specified by the donors.

Section 4. PAC

The Political Action Fund (shall be known as Dallas Retired Fire Fighters Association PAC Fund) shall be funded by voluntary contributions from the membership and/or friends of the fire service. A Political Action Committee shall be formed for the purpose of making decisions on disbursement of funds and endorsements of candidates.

A Political Action Committee funds shall be maintained separate from all other funds.

Article VI – Amendments 

The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by a two-third vote of the membership present and voting at any Annual Meeting. 

ARTICLE VII – By-Laws 

Section 1.      

            The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Secretary, Treasurer and three Vice Presidents and the Chaplain. The Board of Trustees shall consist of the Three (3) Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall meet with the Executive Board for input and consultation.

Section 2.      

            The position of Chaplain(s) shall be filled by appointment and the term of office shall be for One (1) year, the term to run concurrent with elective officers.

Section 3.      

            A Sergeant At Arms appointed by the President, shall have change at the door. He shall assist the President in preserving order when called upon to do so.

Section 4.

The president shall appoint a Walk of Honor/Fire Fighter Memorial Committee.  He shall name a Chairman and a Vice Chairman of the committee.

Section 5.

Upon due consideration of the recommendations of the Second Vice President the President shall appoint the officers of the Last Alarm Bell Board and the members of the Last Alarm Honor Guard. 

Section 6.

Upon consideration of the recommendations of the Third Vice President the President shall appoint a Denny Burris Scholarship Committee and shall name a Chairman and Vice Chairman.

Section 7.

Upon consideration of the recommendations of the First Vice President the President shall appoint a PAC Fund Committee, chaired by the Vice President. The President shall appoint a Vice Chairman. 

Section 8.

The President shall appoint Tellers to distribute, collect and count ballots in contested elections and report same to the President. 

Section 9.

Should a vacancy occur on the Executive Board, the President shall appoint a replacement with the approval of a majority of the Board.  The President’s appointee shall serve until the next Annual Meeting at which time a successor shall be elected by the membership.

Section 10.

Committee meetings shall be held at a time and place as designated by the President or Chairman thereof.

Section 11.

Each meeting shall be opened with a prayer and attended with proper reverence by each member present. 

Section 12.

The following order of business shall govern the Annual Meeting proceedings unless ordered by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

Meeting called to order

Invocation

Adoption of minutes of previous annual meeting

Report of the Executive Board

Report of Committees

Unfinished business

Election of Officers

New business

Adjournment