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NH Fire By Laws 1988 (-... -4- (" ~,U/'u:i!..ak,;;,f.., { /Lr U' CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE NEW HOPE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION ARTICLE 1 NAME This organization shall be kno\yn as the New Hope Volunteer Fire Department, here-in-after referred to as the Department. ARTICLE 2 MEMBERSHIPS Sec. 1. The Department shall be headed by the Fire Chief who shall be an employee of the City, Having a position in the classified service, who shall act as President. In addition to the Fire Chief, the Department shall consist of volunteer personnel as follows: OFFICERS: An Assistant Fire Chief who shall act as Vice President, such Captains and -. Lieutenants as deemed necessary for the proper operation of the Department. TRAINING OFFICER: A Training Officer shall be appointed by the Fire Chief to a five (5) year term. The Training Officer must meet the eligibility requirements as set forth in the Rules and Regulations. 1 l FIRE FIGHTERS: Not less than 10 nor more than 45 fire fighters. Sec. 2 . Application for membership must be made in writing on forms provided and are to be submitted to the membership committee. No application shall be entertained where the applicant is under eighteen (18) years of age. Applications shall be read to and voted upon by the general membership only after favorable recommendation of the membership committee. Upon general membership approval and the passing of an acceptable mental and physical examination the applicant shall be recommended by the Fire Chief for appointment as a probationary fire fighter by the City Manager. Sec. 3 . A probationary fire fighter, only after twelve (12) months probation period and no less than one hundred and forty (140) hours of specialized training have been satisfactorily completed, upon recommendation of the Training Officer may be appointed a regular member of the Department by the Fire Chief. NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS APRIL 1988 Page 2 Sec. 4. All probationary members shall have all rights and privileges of regular members with the exception of the right to make a motion, or be counted as part of a quorum for any meeting, or vote at any meeting, or. hold an elected office during their probationary time. Sec. 5. Any member desirjng to withdraw from the Department shall on application be entitled to an honorable discharge providing there are no current charges on file against him/her. Sec. 6. The membership committee shall be comprised of all officers of the Department. ARTICLE 3 ELECTIONS Sec. 1. The members of the Department shall elect the following officers annually: Assistant Chief, Captains and Lieutenants as may be deemed necessary for the proper operation of the Department. All members elected to office must be ratified by the City Council. Sec. 2. Officers shall be elected at the regular meeting on the first Sunday of February each year and shall hold office for one year unless sooner removed as herein provided. Said officers to be elected by a yes/no ballot with a fifty-one (51) per cent majority needed to elect anI unopposed candidate. A simple majority vote to elect if more than one candidate, abstentions not considered a vote. Sec. 3. Any member seeking the office of Assistant Fire Chief, captain or Lieutenant must meet the eligibility requirements as set forth in the Rules and Regulations of the Department. Sec. 4. Any member seeking office must file for said office between the dates of January 1st and January 15th. Said applications must be in writing and signed by the person seeking office. All applications mus~ be submitted to the designated filing officer. No member shal~ file for more than one office for anyone election. In the event a member is not successful in his/her bid for the office of Assistant Fire Chief or Captain nominations from the floor will be permitted to nominate that member for an office of a lower rank. NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS April 1988 Page 3 Sec. 5. Should a vacancy or leave of absence occur among the elected officers, said office to be filled by temporary appointment by the Chief of the Department pending ratification of the membership committee and the appointed officer shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the office until such time as the incumbent returns or the present term expires, whichever comes first. ARTICLE 4 COMMITTEES The President shall appoint the committees for the ensuing year. Committees shall be appointed as may be deemed necessary for the proper operation of the Department. ARTICLE 5 DUTIES OF THE CHIEF OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Sec. 1. Duties of the Chief: On an alarm he/she shall at his/her discretion respond to fires and other emergencies and upon arriving, he/she may assume full command thereon. The companies shall be placed in such a manner as he/she shall deem best for the extinguishment of the fire. In the absence of an officer, it will be the duty of the senior member present to take command and act as chief at any fire/emergency that may occur until an officer arrives. It shall be the duty of the Chief to examine at least once every three (3) months, all fire apparatus and equipment belonging to the Department. The Chief shall also have all the repairs made. whert heeded and procure all material to keep the same in order, and see that all members are properly trained. The Chief shall be the administrator of the Department and act as liaison officer to work with the City Manager in all matters relative to the operation of the Department. Sec. 2. Duties of the Assistant Fire Chief: It shall be the duty of the Assistant Fire Chief to fulfill all duties of the Fire Chief during his/her absence. ARTICLE 6 DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY Sec. 1. Duties of the President: It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings and to preserve order. The President shall call special meetings of the Department on the written request of five (5) members thereof, such requests to state the object of the call, or the President may call a meeting of his/her own motion whenever he/she may deem it necessary. The President shall appoint a secretary and standing committees such as are deemed necessary for the proper operation of the Department. NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS April 1988 Page 4 Sec. 2 . Duties of the Vice President: It shall be the duty of the Vice President to fulfill all duties of the President during hiS/her absence. Sec. 3 . Duties of the Secretary: It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep a record of all meeting of the Department and all business transacted by the Department. The Secretary shall also call roll and record all absences, give notice of all special meetings, keep a list of all members of the Department showing the date when each person become or ceased to be a member. The Secretary shall notify each new applicant of his/her appointment and furnish him/her with a copy of the Constitution and By-laws and Rules and Regulations of the Department. ARTICLE 7 MEETINGS Sec. 1. The regular meetings shall be held on the first Sunday of every month with the meeting in February being the annual meeting. If a meeting date falls on a legal holiday weekend, it shall be held the following weekend. Sec. 2 . The hour of the regular meeting shall be at 0800 hours for all months except June, July and August when the hour shall be at 1930 hours. Hours of the regular meetings subject to change by a majority vote of the general membership. Sec. 3 . One-half (1/2) of the members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Sec. 4 . Over one-half (1/2) of the members present and voting shall constitute a majority for transaction of business other than amendments to the Constitution and By-laws. Sec. 5. There shall be an officer's meeting held one and one- half (1.5) hours preceding the regular meeting. ARTICLE 8 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION Amendments to the Constitution be made ~ when proposed in may writing. The Secretary shall notify the membership of such proposed amendments in writing fourteen (14) days prior to the Department meeting at which action is to be taken. Two-thirds (2/3) of the members present and voting shall constitute a majority. NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS April 1988 Page 5 B Y - LAW S ARTICLE Order of Business The Order of ausiness of the Department shall be as follows: 1. Call to order 2. Pledge of Allegiance 3 . Roll call 4. Reading of the minutes of the last meeting and disposal of same 5. Communications 6. Report of committees 7. Unfinished business 8. Applications and election of members 9. New business 10. Report of alarms 11. Adjournment ARTICLE 2 Duties of Members Sec. 1. It shall be the duty of each member to attend all alarms of fire and emergencies and shall not leave the apparatus floor until after roll call on return to the fire station U111ess stationed otherwise or excused by the officer in charge. Sec. 2 . It shall be the first duty of all members of the Department to obey at all times all commands of their officers while on duty. Sec. 3 . It shall be the duty of each member to attend all meetings and drills of the Department unless excused by the officer in charge. Sec. 4. No member shall use equipment of the Department or any part of the same at any time except at emergencies, training sessions, or on permission or on direct orders of the Chief of the Department. ARTICLE 3 Expulsion/Suspension Sec. 1. Whenever a member is reported negligent in any of hiS/her duties as a member or without authorized absence fails to attend three (3 ) consecutive meetings or drills, the Secretary shall notify him/her by mail that he/she must appear at the next membership NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS April 1988 Page 6 Sec. 1. ( cent. ) committee meeting to show cause as to why he/she should not be suspended or expelled from the Department. Sec. 2 . If any member uses insulting language to an officer of the Department or if he/$he is guilty of conduct to bring disgrace upon the Department, he/she may be expelled at any regular meeting by the majority vote of all members present, providing that the charges against him/her be made in writing and filed with the Secretary at least one month before the vote to be taken upon it and a copy of the charges must be sent or served upon him/her at least two (2) weeks before such action is taken. Sec. 3 . Regular members shall continue as members of the Department during good behavior and by complying with the Rules and Regulations of the Department, and my be removed by the city Council only for cause and after a public hearing. Sec. 4. If during the member's probationary period he/she should be found incompetent or fails to discharge his duties, he/she may be expelled by the Chief, only upon recommendation of the membership committee. Sec. 5. Any member may be suspended for violation of the Constitution, By-Laws or Rules and Regulations of the Department by the Fire Chief and shall appear at the next membership committee meeting to show cause as to why he/she should not be suspended or expelled from the Department. ARTICLE 4 Leave of Absence Sec. 1. Any member who is injured, sick, disabled for seven (7) days or more must notify the Chief of the Department on forms provided. Sec. 2 . Any member wishing to be absent from duty for medical/personal reasons for thirty (30) days or more up to one year, must request a leave of absence from the Chief. Sec. 3 . Any member absent from duty for a period longer than twelve (12) months on any leave will be dropped from the membership subject to all conditions of a new member. Sec. 4 . Military leaves will be granted per Federal Regulations. NEW HOPE FIRE DEPARTMENT CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS April 1988 Page 7 ARTICLE 5 Drills It shall be the duty of the Training Officer to order at least two (2) training drills per month. ARTICLE 6 Honorary Memberships Honorary memberships shall be awarded certain persons upon recommendation of the membership committee and approval of the general membership. ARTICLE 7 Rules of Order The rules contained in the Robert's Rules of Order shall be given the Department in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the rules of order of the Department. ARTICLE 8 Amendments to the By-Laws The By-Laws shall be equally binding with the Constitution. Amendments to the By-Laws may be made when proposed in writing. The Secretary shall notify the membership of such proposed amendments in writing fourteen' (14) days prior to the Department meeting at which action is to be taken. Two-thirds (2/3) of the membership present and voting shall constitute a majority. ******** Amended eneral Fire Chief .' e--j f jj .. Ii /, Y ''''{ '; I ..':'\ Jit /' / J' t !, _VI! ../;(,4 ( ~tr: . ) Secretary