NMRA MCR Division 2 Constitution and By-Laws

AMENDED, January 2011

CONSTITUTION

Article I – Name and Purpose

Sec 1: This organization shall be known as the Keystone Division 2 MCR NMRA, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as "the Division" or "Division 2") and is established under the provisions of the National Model Railroad Association (Inc.) Constitution and By-Laws with boundaries determined in accordance with its provisions.

Sec 2: The boundaries of the Division shall be as established in the bylaws of the Mid Central Region of the National Model Railroad Association Inc., and changed as required by the Region Board of Directors upon agreement of the Divisions involved.

Sec 3: The purposes of the Division are: Implementation and furtherance in the Division of the National Model Railroad Association objectives set forth in the NMRA National Constitution, Article I, Section 2 as amended by mail ballot, June 1976.

Article II – Membership

Sec 1: Any NMRA member residing in the Division shall be eligible for regular membership. All members may vote on Division matters. Any member may attend regular and special membership meetings, may be appointed to committees, and hold elected office in the Division.

Sec 2: Other classes of membership without voting rights may be established by the By-Laws.

Sec 3: There shall be no dues requirement for membership in the Division.

Article III – Management

Sec 1: The elected officers of the Division shall be the Superintendent, the Assistant Superintendent and the Chief Clerk.

Sec 2: These elected officers shall be elected in the even-numbered years, their term of office shall be two years beginning at the start of the May meeting of the even numbered years. The term of office of Region Officers and the Division officers shall not end in the same calendar year. All officers shall serve without compensation. The duties shall be the usual ones of the various offices and such others as may be prescribed by the By-Laws. No members shall serve more than two consecutive terms or parts thereof in one elected office, nor shall any member hold more than one elective position at one time.

Sec 3: The appointed officer of the Division shall be the Treasurer.

Sec 4: To accomplish the stated purposes, the Superintendent shall appoint the Chairmen for the committees required by the Constitution and By-Laws, or otherwise, promptly after election results are known.

Sec 5: There are no restrictions on the term of appointed officers or committee Chairman.

Article IV – Advisory Committee

sec 1: The Advisory Committee shall be an appointed body composed of committee chairmen, former officers, and other qualified members who are willing to assist and advise the officers in performing their duties. Any member may suggest possible appointees to the President. The Advisory Committee shall recommend action or business to be presented to the members.

Article V – Meetings

Sec 1: There shall be a minimum of ten meetings per year, held on the third Sunday of each month. December and the month of the NMRA National Convention are not mandatory.

Sec 2: The date of a meeting may be altered if agreed to by the majority of the members present at the meeting where the change is proposed and published in the Keystone Flyer preceding the changed meeting.

Sec 3: A special business meeting for a specific purpose, and with business limited to the stated purpose, may be called by the Superintendent with the concurrence of the Advisory Committee, or by a petition to the Chief Clerk signed by ten (10) members.

Sec 4: All regular and special membership meetings shall be open to all members. Non members and non MCR members may attend regular and special membership meetings and participate in activities at these meetings that are not closed to them by the Constitution or By-Laws. Non NMRA and non MCR members may attend the Advisory Board meetings by permission from an Advisory Board member only.

Sec 5: The quorum at any regular or special membership shall be the number of members present.

Article VI – Elections

Sec 1: The Division Nominating Committee for Division officers shall be composed of a Chairman and at least two (2) other members appointed by The Superintendent, from different parts of the Division. No current Division officer shall serve on the Committee, nor sit with it during its deliberations.

Sec 2: Nominations for Division offices may be made by a petition to the Division Nominating Committee by five (5) members.

Sec 3: The committee shall nominate at least one candidate for each office. The Committee shall report the nominations at the January meeting proceeding the election, and receive nominations from the floor.

Sec 4: No member shall be nominated for elective office without his approval.

Sec 5: Election for Division elective offices or issues shall be conducted by mail ballots. On all ballots, space will be provided for write-in votes for each ofice.

Sec 6: The Region President shall appoint a Superintendent to fill a vacancy for any cause including failure to make a nomination. The Division may conduct an interim election later at a Division meeting for a Superintendent of its own choice to complete the unexpired term.

Sec 7: The Advisory Committee shall elect a successor to complete the unexpired term of any vacant Division office except that of the Superintendent.

Sec 8: An elected officer can be removed from office by completion of term or resignation, or by writing petition signed by thirty (30) members provided that a) the call for removal from office is submitted at a regular or special meeting, b) published in the KEYSTONE FLYER with an announcement regarding where and when the vote to remove will take place, and c) approved by a two-thirds majority vote of members at that regular or special meeting.

Sec 9: The following classes of NMRA members shall be eligible to vote in Division elections:
A.Regular members
B.Sustaining members
C1.Life members
C2.Retired Life members
D. Honorary Life members.

Article VII – Publications

Sec 1: The Region shall have an official bulletin called the KEYSTONE FLYER for news and notices of interest t the members.

Article VIII – Procedures

Sec 1: Parliamentary procedures not included in the Constitution and By-Laws shall be governed by Robert's 'Rules of Order' as amended.

Sec 2: A proposal to amend the Constitution may be initiated by petition to the Chief Clerk not less than thirty (30) days before a regular meeting signed by thirty (30) members. After publication of the proposal, a membership meeting motion requiring a two-thirds majority vote for approval may be made instructing the Chief Clerk to prepare a mail ballot for resolution of the issue. The mail ballot shall be sent to all Division members in good standing. The Advisory Committee may authorize early balloting if the issue is urgent. A two-thirds majority of the mail ballots received is required for approval.

Sec 3: The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority of the members present at a regular meeting or a special meeting called for the purpose.

Sec 4: In the event of the dissolution of the Division by amendment of the Constitution or by action of the membership, the entire assets of the Division shall be transferred to the Mid Central Region Board of Directors.

Sec 5: No officer or member can incur indebtedness on behalf of the Division, with the exception of the death of a Division member, at which time the Superintendent is authorized to order flowers or other appropriate remembrance.

Sec 6: None of the funds of the organization shall be used to the advantage or benefit of any member, except for reasonable compensation for services rendered as determined by the Constitution or By-Laws.

END OF CONSTITUION