BYLAWS

                                WASHINGTON EXTENSION AGENTS

AND

SPECIALISTS ASSOCIATION

 

Amended: December 1974, December 1976, December 1979, December 1987, December 1991, December 1992, March 1996, June 1996, August 1996.  Last Amended: May 2000

 

                                            ARTICLE I -- AUTHORITY

 

The authority of this nonprofit association shall be vested in a board of directors consisting of four officers, the immediate past president, and eight (8) directors, all of whom shall be members of this association in good standing.

 

A majority of the board of directors' membership shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

No officers or member of this association shall make policy for the association in any way unless authorized to do so at an annual or special meeting of the membership, or by the board of directors.

 

Membership in the association shall be as prescribed in the Constitution.

 

                                                ARTICLE II -- DUES

 

The annual dues of the Washington Extension Agents and Specialists Association are $50.00 per member plus the dues for the National Association of County Agricultural Agents . The membership year shall be the calendar year. New Extension Faculty, in their first year of employment, may become members after June 30 upon payment of $50.00 dues.  This gives them full voting privileges of WEASA, but does not include national membership.  This special privilege is available to an individual only once.  Its intent is to allow a new faculty member to join the Association and have voting privileges in his or her first year.

 

Special assessments may be made by a majority vote of a referendum ballot taken by the treasurer upon the advise of the board of directors.

 

Any member whose dues are delinquent after June 1, shall be dropped from the rolls of this association, but may be reinstated upon payment of current year's dues.  Officers, directors, and committee members must be paid up members of this association.

 

                                          ARTICLE III -- DIRECTORS

 

The membership of the board of directors shall be as stated in Article VII of the constitution of this association.

 

The board of directors shall have the power to call special meetings of the association when it shall deem necessary and it shall call a meeting at any time upon the written request of five (5) active members, and to appoint and remove at its pleasure any or all officers, agents and employees of the association, and shall prescribe their duties and fix their compensation.

 

The board of directors shall have the power to conduct, manage and control the affairs and business of the association, and to make rules consistent with the laws of the State of Washington for the guidance of the officers and the management of the affairs of the association.

 

 

                                      ARTICLE IV -- OFFICERS DUTIES

 

PRESIDENT: The president shall preside over all meetings of the association and directors.  The president shall sign all contracts and other instruments of writing which shall have first been approved by the board of directors.

 

VICE PRESIDENT: In the absence of the president, or his inability to act, the vice president will act as president.  The vice president shall be responsible for all regular committees.

 

SECRETARY: The secretary shall keep a full and complete record of the proceedings of the board of directors and the meetings of the members; shall provide such notices as may be necessary or proper and shall discharge such other duties as pertain to the office or as prescribed by the board of directors.

 

TREASURER: The treasurer shall receive and safely keep all funds of the association and deposit same in such bank or banks as may be designated by the board of directors.  Such funds shall be paid out only on the check of the association signed by the treasurer and counter-signed by such other persons as the board of directors may, from time to time, deem advisable and shall discharge such other duties as pertain to the office or as prescribed by the board of directors.

 

                                            ARTICLE V -- ELECTIONS

 

The officers of this association shall be elected by a majority vote of all paid-up members "at the annual meeting or via electronic mail (at the discretion of the officers conducting the election)." (Constitution, Article VII change, May 2000)  Prior to the NACAA annual meeting, a nominating committee to be chaired by the immediate past president shall be appointed by the president.  The committee shall submit a suggested slate of candidates according to the following schedule: It is recommended but not required that the vice president shall be nominated as the sole candidate for president.   When the vice president choses not to run, it is recommended that two members shall be nominated for the office of president; two members shall also be nominated for each of the other offices, when there are candidates available and willing.  The committee shall contact each nominee and receive his or her acceptance of the nomination.  It is recommended that when possible that at least one member of the nominating committee shall be a member with less than five years service.  Additional nominations from the membership for any office will be accepted until fifteen days prior to the voting deadline.  Write-ins will be accepted on the ballot. All nominees shall be paid up members of the association.

 

All members will be notified about the nomination process at least thirty days prior to the election and the slate of state officers and directors will be announced at least ten days prior to the voting deadline.

 

In the event that the office of president, vice president, secretary or treasurer of the association shall become vacant, the successor shall be selected by the board of directors, consistent with Article VII of the Constitution.

 

                           ARTICLE VI -- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, BILLS

 

The president, vice president, secretary and treasurer shall compose the executive committee of this association.  The executive committee shall be vested with all of the powers of the board of directors to do such manner of acts specifically authorized to them by the board of directors.

 

The treasurer is empowered to pay all bills, under the amount of $100, presented to the association as they come due without prior approval of the executive committee.  Bills over the amount of $100 require prior approval of the executive committee.

 

                                           ARTICLE VII -- MEETINGS

 

This association shall have one annual meeting.  The time and place to be determined by the board of directors.  A special meeting may be called by the president upon the advice and consent of the executive committee.

 

All members of the association shall be notified of any meeting at least 10 days in advance of said meeting.

 

A quorum at annual or special meetings shall be those in attendance.

 

ARTICLE VIII -- VOTING DELEGATES

 

Voting delegates to the NACAA annual meeting and the chairman of the voting delegation shall be appointed by the WEASA Board of Directors.

 

                                      ARTICLE IV -- POLICY CHANGES

 

The board of directors shall pass upon all suggested policy changes submitted between annual meetings by any member of the association and, if after consideration they deem the aforementioned suggestions of enough importance, they shall direct the secretary to submit it at once to each member of the association.