ARTICLE I - Membership
Section I. Members of the Society may be elected, without limit as to numbers on the approval of
membership application by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Each member shall be
classified by the Board of Directors according to one of the following:
A. Active Member -- A person who supports the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors and its
goals and:
1. Submits an application for active membership. Upon approval of the application, the members
voting privilege becomes effective immediately.
2. All charter members.
3. All life members
B. Honorary Member -- A person of outstanding prominence who has made a singular
contribution to the field of fire training.
Section II. Life Membership
Any Past President, and Past Secretary or Treasurer who has served two (2) or more terms, or
any active member who has been an active member for ten (10) or more years and has made
outstanding contribution to the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors, may be granted Life
Membership by the Board of Directors.
Any member of the Board of Directors may bring the name of any such candidate (active
member) to an executive session of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors shall vote to
accept or deny such candidate. Acceptance or denial shall be by simple majority vote.
Section III Industrial Membership
Any firm may become a member under this section. An Industrial Membership will allow no more
than three (3) persons from the member company to represent said company. Industrial
membership carries one (1) vote.
Annual dues for Industrial Membership shall be acted upon the same as for other membership.
(Article II, Section I)
ARTICLE II - Dues
Section I. The membership year shall be the calendar year. Annual dues for Active and Industrial
memberships shall be determined by the Board of Directors and submitted to the active members
for approval. Simple majority shall give approval. Annual dues shall not be collected from Life Members or Honorary Members.
Section II. Termination for non-payment of dues. Membership shall be terminated when the dues
of any member are unpaid at the close of the fiscal year. Terminated members may be reinstated
by payment of dues for the current year.
ARTICLE III - Membership Privileges
Section I. All members shall receive a membership card appropriate to their classification.
Section II. All members shall be on the mailing list to receive materials as the officers of the
Society shall from time to time see fit to distribute.
Section III. Any member shall have the right to attend meetings of the Society but only active
members may vote and hold office. (Article II – Constitution and Article of Incorporation)
ARTICLE IV - Meetings
Section I. The annual meeting, as prescribed in Article IV of the Constitution and Article of
Incorporations shall be held for the election of officers and the transaction of other business of the
Society.
Section II. The President may, with the approval of the majority of the Board of Directors, call a
special meeting upon thirty (30) days notice to all the active membership. The majority of the
Board may also call a special meeting under the same conditions as above.
Section III. There shall be no voting by proxy. Balloting by mail will only be permitted as
specifically provided for in Article V of the Constitution and Article of Incorporation
Section IV. Quorum
A. A simple majority of those present at the annual meeting of the Society shall govern for the
election of officers and the conduct of Society Business.
B. A simple majority of those active members present, all Active Members having been notified in
compliance with Article IV, Section II above, shall govern for the conduct of Society Business at a
special meeting.
C. A simple majority shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.
Section V. Meetings of Board of Directors
The President may, with the approval of the majority of the Board of Directors, call a Board of
Directors meeting to discuss Society business. The majority of the Board may also call a Board of
Directors meeting under the same conditions. These meetings may be conducted in person, or
through an electronic means, such as telephone conference call. Decisions of the Board must be
based on majority vote.
ARTICLE V - Officers and Board of Directors
Section I. Elections shall be held at the annual meeting of the Society. The President shall
appoint a nominating committee composed of one member of the Board of Directors, who shall
be the Chairman of the committee, and two active members of the Society present at the
meeting.
Nominations may also be presented from the floor at the time of election but such nominations
shall be in writing for the presentation to the Secretary and must carry the signatures of at lease
four (4) active members of the Society present at the meeting.
Section II. The officers of the Society -- President, Vice-president, Secretary and Treasurer, shall
be elected for two year terms.
Section III. Beginning in 1981, Directors shall be elected for two (2) year terms with the terms
staggered. The Board of Directors may change the length of specific terms to accomplish this
rotation. Directors shall be limited to two (2) terms.
Section IV. In the event that the officer of President should become vacant, by death, resignation,
or extenuating circumstances, the Vice-president shall automatically become the President of the
Society within ten (10) days. Vacancy of both the President and Vice-president shall be filled by
the results of an election by the Board of Directors.
In the event of a vacancy occurring among the offices of the Board of Directors of the Society, the
President shall, within thirty (30) days, appoint an active member to fill that vacancy until the next
regular meeting.
Section V. The administrative year shall begin and end with the election at the annual meeting
and all officers shall remain in office until their successors are elected or appointed.
Section VI. No officer or director, except the Secretary and the Treasurer, shall be elected to
serve more than two (2) terms consecutively for any specific office.
Section VII. All monies of the Iowa Society of Fire Service Instructors shall be subject to the
authority of the Treasurer. The Treasurer shall disperse monies only on direction of the President,
after approval of a simple majority of the Board of Directors. Upon approval of the Board of
Directors, the President, Vice-president and the Treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks.
Section VIII. All members of the Board of Directors shall be bonded at a level established by the
Board.
ARTICLE VI - Committees
Section I. The President or the Board of Directors may establish committees. The term“committee” shall include standing committees, limited term committees, ad hoc groups, and so
forth. Each committee shall have a clearly defined function or specific charge. Any ad hoc
committee shall disband at the completion of its charge. Terms for members of standing
committees shall be two years, with re-appointments at the option of the President or Board. Terms for members of other committees are based on the term of the committee.
Section II. The President shall, at a minimum, appoint the following standing committees:
A. Nominations and Elections Committee
B. Membership Committee
C. Rules Committee
D. Annual Conference Committee
E. Awards Committee
F. Finance and Audit Committee
G. History and Archives Committee
ARTICLE VII - Amendments
Section I. The By-laws may be amended in the same manner as provided for Amendment of the
Constitution and Articles of Incorporation in Article IX, or amendments may be proposed in writing
at the annual or special meeting and may be adopted by a majority vote at that meeting if a
quorum is present, as set forth in Article IV, Section IV, Subsection B, of the By-laws.
Section II. Notice of adopted changes in the Articles of Incorporation or the By-laws shall be sent
to all active members of the Society within ninety (90) days.
ARTICLE VIII - International Affiliation
The Secretary, on initiative of the President shall correspond with the Secretary of the
International Society of Fire Service Instructors with regard to the business of the Society.
The Secretary shall annually submit to the International Secretary, the names of the current
President and Vice President. The Secretary shall submit payment of the current year's active
dues to the International Society in the names of the President and Vice President. Said dues
shall be drawn from the Treasury.
ARTICLE IX - Order of Business
Section 1. The order of business at the Annual Meeting of the Society shall be as follows:
Call to Order
Reading of Minutes
Treasurer's Report
President's Report
Secretary's Report
Committee Reports
Unfinished Business
New Business
Election
Announcements
Adjournment
The President of the Society shall determine the order of business at special meetings of the
Society.
Section II. Robert's Rules of Order (revised) shall govern all meetings of the Society on all points
not governed by the Constitution and Article of Incorporation and By-laws.
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These By-laws amended by a majority vote of a letter ballot, November 6, 1980
These By-laws amended by a majority vote at the Annual Meeting, May 2, 1984
These By-laws amended by a majority vote at the Annual Meeting, March 20, 1992
These By-laws amended by a majority vote of a letter ballot, September 4, 1997
These By-laws amended by a majority vote at the Annual Meeting, March 31, 2000
These By-laws amended by a majority vote at the Annual Meeting, November 21, 2009.
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