The Southwest Coalition for Substance Abuse Issues
Bylaws
Approved August 19, 2014
ARTICLE I. NAME AND MEMBERSHIP
The name of this organization shall be the Southwest Coalition for Substance Abuse Issues. Herein, the organization will be referred to as the Southwest Coalition.
Membership in the Southwest Coalition is open to organizations and individuals that support the mission of the coalition and pay annual dues.
ARTICLE II. MISSION AND PURPOSE
The mission of the Southwest Coalition is to maintain a network of publicly and privately funded prevention, treatment, and recovery providers. Through collaboration and education, coalition members stay abreast of current issues in the substance abuse field and advocate for sound public policy.
Specifically, the Southwest Coalition:
a) Conducts regular meetings open to all agencies, organizations, and individuals having an interest in substance abuse issues.
b) Advocates for a full spectrum of services for clients and communities while seeking to prevent duplication of services.
c) Provides factual information on topics related to substance abuse to members, the field in general, and the community.
ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
1. Officers
1.1. Officers of the Southwest Coalition shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
1.2. The term of office is one year.
2. Election of Officers
2.1. Nominating Committee
2.1.1. A Nominating Committee shall be elected by the members attending the February meeting.
2.1.2. The Nominating Committee is responsible for preparing a slate of officer candidates for the coming year and shall announce the slate at the April meeting.
2.1.3. Elections will be conducted at the May meeting. Officers are elected by simple majority of members present.
2.1.4. New officers will assume responsibility on July 1.
3. Removal of Officers
3.1. Removal before the end of term may only be made for cause. A 2/3 majority of members attending the business meeting at which the matter is brought forward must determine that such showing has been made.
4. Vacancies
4.1. 4.1. A vacancy occurs when an officer volutarily resigns or an officer fails to perform the duties of the office. In the event of an officer resigning, the president will appoint an acting officer. In the event of an officer failing to perform his/her duties, the president will determine if action needs to be taken including, but not limited to, replacing the officer.
4.2. All appointments to fill vacancies shall be submitted for approval by members attending the next regular meeting.
4.3. Individuals serving as appointees shall serve until the end of the term of office they are filling.
4.4. In the event that the president fails to meet his/her obligation, the vice president will perform the duties of the president.
5. Duties of Officers
5.1. President
5.1.1. The President shall prepare meeting agendas and conduct business meetings.
5.1.2. The President shall maintain an accurate member email list and distribute relevant information to members.
5.1.3. The President shall receive minutes of business meetings from the Secretary and send the minutes to members.
5.1.4. The President shall prepare all letters on behalf of the Southwest Coalition. Such letters shall be approved by members attending the next regular business meeting.
5.1.5. The President shall not vote on motions, except in cases of a tie.
5.1.6. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominating Committee.
5.2. Vice President
5.2.1. The Vice President shall chair meetings when the President is not present.
5.2.2. The Vice President shall assist the President, as needed, in conducting business meetings.
5.2.3. The Vice President shall assist in other responsibilities of the President, as requested.
5.3. Secretary
5.3.1. The Secretary shall be responsible for taking minutes of each meeting and submitting them to the President prior to the next meeting.
5.4. Treasurer
5.4.1. The Treasurer shall have all the duties which that position would customarily require under Illinois law.
5.4.2. The Treasurer shall ensure that a true and accurate accounting of the financial transactions of the Southwest Coalition is made at business meetings.
5.4.3. In addition, the Treasurer shall supervise the financial health of the Southwest Coalition by keeping and maintaining true and accurate financial records, providing periodic reports as required by the organization, and performing other duties as designated.
5.4.4. In the absence of both the President and the Vice President, the Treasurer shall conduct business meetings.
6. Meeting Structure
6.1. Meetings shall rotate among member organizations.
6.2. The Southwest Coalition shall hold regular meetings of the membership on at least a bimonthly basis usually in conjunction with program meetings.
6.3. Said meetings shall be held pursuant to a schedule approved by the members attending the meeting at which the following year’s schedule is set.
ARTICLE IV. MEMBERS AND MEMBERS’ RIGHTS
1. The Southwest Coalition has two categories of members: organizations and individuals.
2. Dues
2.1. Annual dues for organizations and individuals shall be established as part of the annual budgeting process and approved when the budget is approved.
2.2. Dues are due on the first of July for the fiscal year. New members will pay a prorated amount based on the amount of their yearly dues divided by 12 and rounded through June 30th of that fiscal year. Members not paying by July 1st will have a 60 day grace period to pay in full. They will receive a notice at 30 days past due indicating that they will have 30 additional days to either pay their membership dues or request an extension.
2.3. Memberships not paid in full by the 60 day grace period date or any extension given will be terminated.
3. Voting
3.1. Each member organization and each individual member is entitled to one vote, as long as they are current with their dues.
3.2. An organization member with multiple representatives attending a business meeting shall declare which person will be voting on behalf of the organization prior to the vote.
3.3. In any case when a person is both an individual member AND the only person from his/her organization attending a meeting, the person has the right to cast his/her own vote as an individual member OR vote on behalf of the organization. A person may not vote as an organization representative and an individual member for the same vote.
3.4. The outcome of voting shall be determined by a simple majority of those present except as specified elsewhere in these bylaws.
3.5. The President has the right to table any vote until all members can be informed of the impending vote. The motion tabled shall be voted on at the next regular business meeting.
3.6. The President may table a motion only one time, must inform the members of the tabled matter, and must place it on the agenda for the following business meeting.
ARTICLE V. COMMITTTEES
1. Committee Chairs are appointed by the President and approved by members attending the meeting at which approval is sought.
2. Finance Committee
1.1. The Finance Committee is responsible for preparing an annual budget and presenting it at the May meeting.
1.2. The Treasurer is a member of the Finance Committee.
2. Education Committee
2.1. Education Committee is responsible for developing the annual schedule of workshops and conferences and sending information to the website administrator.
2.2. Education Committee is responsible for soliciting member organizations to host meetings and provide educational presenters.
2.3. The Education Committee is responsible for obtaining CEU’s, disseminating and collecting evaluations, and providing certificates. No individual shall be eligible for CEU’s unless dues are paid.
3. Advocacy Committee
3.1. Advocacy Committee keeps members informed of local, regional, and statewide advocacy issues facing the substance abuse field.
4. Ad Hoc Committees
4.1. Ad hoc committees may be created for specific purposes at any time by motion of members attending business meetings.
4.2. Ad hoc committees shall be limited to the purpose for which they were formed and have no authority to act except as specified by their purpose.
4.3. Upon completion of their duties, ad hoc committees shall dissolve.
4.4. Ad hoc committees may be terminated upon member vote if the committee is unable to fulfill its purpose.
ARTICLE VI. AMMENDMENTS
1. Proposed amendments to the bylaws shall be presented for review to all members at least 30 days prior to any vote to change.
2. These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by a two-thirds majority of the members attending the business meeting at which the proposed amendments are presented for a vote.
ARTICLE VII. DISSOLUTION
1. Upon dissolution of the Southwest Coalition for Substance Abuse Issues, any funds in the treasury shall be donated to an organization(s) doing substance abuse prevention and/or treatment work in the area served by the Southwest Coalition.
2. The organization(s) shall be selected by a vote of the members present at the business meeting when the matter of dissolution is taken up.