TEXAS GULF COAST REGIONAL VOAD BYLAWS

Bylaws of the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, approved on February 16, 2004, amended March 6, 2006, and September 10, 2007.

I. Name and Jurisdiction

The name of the organization is the Texas Gulf Coast Regional Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TGCRVOAD).  TGCRVOAD is the regional counterpart to the Texas Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (TXVOAD).  The Jurisdiction is the region including Harris County, Texas and the surrounding counties.

II. Mission

TGCRVOAD is a humanitarian association of independent voluntary organizations that may be active in all phases of disaster.  Its mission is to foster efficient, streamlined service delivery to people affected by disaster, while eliminating unnecessary duplication of effort, through cooperation in the four phases of disaster: preparation, response, recovery, and mitigation.

III. Overview

TGCRVOAD is not a competing or exclusionary organization.  TGCRVOAD is intended to be a network for organizations active in disaster.  Each TGCRVOAD member organization will maintain its own identity and independence while closely collaborating with other TGCRVOAD member organizations, interfaiths, and local, state, or federal authorities.  TGCRVOAD accomplishes its mission by adhering to the following principles:

Cooperation: Foster cooperation among TGCRVOAD member organizations at all levels and in all phases of disaster.

Coordination: Coordinate the development of TGCRVOAD policies and procedures and the implementation of services among TGCRVOAD member organizations.  TGCRVOAD may also provide links to state, national and international disaster relief organizations.  TGCRVOAD serves as advocate and liaison between member agencies, local and county governments and the Texas VOAD.

Communication: Exchange and disseminate information among TGCRVOAD member organizations and the public, as well as local, state and federal agencies, in conjunction with the individual TGCRVOAD members.

Collaboration: We dedicate ourselves to work together to achieve specific goals and to undertake specific projects at disaster sites.  We form partnerships during the disaster response.

IV. Membership

A. Categories of Membership

1. Member — Organizations must submit a complete Membership Application explaining what services they may provide (services, personnel and/or goods) in one or more phases of disaster (preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation).  Member organizations determine which phase(s) during which they will activate.  Members must meet the following conditions of membership:

            Agree with the mission of the TGCRVOAD.

          Have an authorized representative at TGCRVOAD quarterly business meetings, at special meetings and emergency meetings when appropriate.

Pay dues in the amount of twenty-five dollars at the beginning of each fiscal year at the October quarterly business meeting.  Dues will be used for operating costs (printing, postage, supplies, etc.) and to pay expenses for an individual member or members to represent the TGCRVOAD at the National VOAD Annual Conference.

2. Friends – The non-voting category of participation includes government partners, corporate entities, individuals and voluntary organizations not meeting conditions of membership that may be active in the four phases of disaster.

B. Membership Application Procedures

Organizations requesting membership will submit a completed Membership Application to the TGCRVOAD describing their intended commitment to the TGCRVOAD.  Candidate organizations are encouraged to attend TGCRVOAD meetings prior to the approval of their application.

The TGCRVOAD Executive Committee (TEC) will determine category eligibility of the candidate organization using the TGCRVOAD bylaws and present the application for discussion at the next quarterly business meeting.

The existing Members will vote in accordance with Section VIII (Voting) after the application is presented and discussed to extend or deny an offer of membership to the candidate organization.

C. Responsibilities of Membership

The leadership of a TGCRVOAD member organization must be committed to sending knowledgeable and authoritative representatives to attend TGCRVOAD quarterly business meetings, special meetings and emergency meetings if applicable.

The Authorized Member Organizational Representative (AMOR) must have access to the resources of their organization to serve the needs of disaster victims. TGCRVOAD member organizations are encouraged to designate one alternate AMOR (AAMOR) to attend TGCRVOAD meetings.

The leadership of a TGCRVOAD member organization shall designate the primary voting representative (AMOR) and one alternate representative (AAMOR) in the Contact Section of the Membership Application which will be published in the Membership Directory.  Any changes regarding AMOR/AAMORs should be made no later than one week prior to the next quarterly business meeting in order to have a current voter’s roster.

D. Termination of Membership

The Executive Committee will recommend to the membership body to terminate a member organization that fails to meet the conditions and responsibilities of membership.

E. Directory

The TGCRVOAD Membership and Resource Directory will include both categories of participation and will determine the official voting representation for each Member organization.

V. Meetings

The quarterly business meetings of the TGCRVOAD shall be guided by the current version of Robert’s Rules of Order except as otherwise provided for in these bylaws.  All TGCRVOAD meetings are open to the public.

A. Quarterly Business Meetings

Business meetings will be held quarterly (January, April, July and October).

The cycle of business meetings for a sitting body of representatives from the TGCRVOAD member organizations shall last two years or eight business meetings.

Notice, including a meeting agenda, shall be sent to all members at least fourteen days prior to any quarterly business meeting.

Other business may be considered by a simple majority vote of members present.

The AMOR has voice for and votes for his/her organization at these quarterly business meetings. Other representatives from the same organization have voice, when recognized by, and, at the discretion of the Chair.  The intent is that there be a reasonable exchange of ideas in a timely fashion without monopoly by multiple representatives of a single organization.

B.  CCCC Meetings

In order to comply with the Cooperation, Coordination, Communication and Collaboration principles set forth by the TGCRVOAD mission, monthly meetings can be held in between the quarterly business meetings.  Presentations, dialogues, information sharing, training, or other networking can take place.  Notification of these meetings will be sent electronically two weeks prior to a CCCC Meeting.

C. Special Meetings

Any member of the TEC may call a special meeting when necessary.  A special meeting may be called at the request of ten percent of the TGCRVOAD Members to the TEC.

Written notice shall be sent electronically, and/or by first class mail (days begin to count when mailed, not received) to all members at least five days prior or, verbal notice given at least two days prior to any special meeting and shall specify the purpose of such a meeting.

No other business may be considered except by unanimous consent of the entire voting membership of the TGCRVOAD.  Such consent may be obtained either before or after such special meeting, but until such consent is obtained action on matters not identified in the purpose of the special meeting shall not be valid.

D. Emergency Meetings

Emergency meetings to meet the needs of disaster events (or drills) can be called at any time by the TEC with minimal notice.

Teleconferencing is an option for emergency meetings to facilitate the work of the TGCRVOAD.

Emergency meetings are open to members and those agencies with specific response & recovery responsibilities that concern TGCRVOAD members.

D. Committee Meetings

Committee meetings are limited to committee members

Technical advisors may attend committee meetings at the request of the chairperson

Officers are nominated at the seventh (July) quarterly business meeting and voted in at the eighth (October) quarterly meeting.  Their term of office begins with the first (January) meeting of the next cycle of business meetings.  Officers may serve no longer than a two year term.  Officers must be staff members or volunteers of TGCRVOAD Members in good standing and must be the designated AMOR.

Any member of the TGCRVOAD may nominate officers for the positions of Chair-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer.  The previous Chair-Elect becomes the new Chair to ensure continuity of leadership; however, if the Chair-Elect cannot fulfill the Chair position for the two year term, nominations must be made at this time for the Chair position.  Nominations must be seconded to be accepted.  These officers are elected by the membership of the TGCRVOAD.  No single agency may have more than one staff member or primary volunteer hold an officer position. A primary volunteer is one whose primary affiliation is with a specific TGCRVOAD member even though she/he may volunteer with other TGCRVOAD members.  When an officer’s position is vacated the TEC will appoint a member representative to serve the unexpired term.

The TGCRVOAD officers are as follows:

A. Chair may not serve more than two years at this position

Function: presides at meetings, has an ex-officio seat on TGCRVOAD committees, convenes meetings and provides leadership.  Nominates committee chairs to be voted on by the officers.  The Chair with the consent of the voting membership may engage in external contracts.  Chair designates official TGCRVOAD representatives for any activated EOCs in the region.

B. Chair-Elect may not serve more than two years at this position and must be willing to assume Chair position at the end of this term

Function: Acts on behalf of the Chair in the absence of or at the request of the Chair.

C. Secretary may not serve more than two years at this position

Function: Maintains organizational records, keeps minutes of meetings, provides administrative support and keeps the official voting roster (AMOR/AAMORs).

D. Treasurer may not serve more than two years at this position

Function: Prepares budget, collects dues, presents financial report at quarterly business meetings, files necessary IRS forms and keeps financial records of the organization.

VII. Standing Committees

The following Standing Committees will be established at the beginning of the two year term after the new officers take office.  The TGCRVOAD Chair will chair the TEC and nominate a person to chair each of the remaining Standing Committees.  The nominees must be approved by the officers.  The Standing Committee Chairs will then appoint committee members which shall be representative of the TGCRVOAD member organizations.  The Standing Committees will serve for a minimum of two years and can be reappointed by the next cycle of officers to provide continuity to the TGCRVOAD organization.

Executive Committee (TEC) – is made up of the officers of TGCRVOAD and the chairs of the remainder of the standing committees.  The TEC is responsible for overall policy direction of the organization, scheduling of regular and special meetings, and preparation of agendas and minutes for all meetings of the organization.

Membership – identifies primary resources of member organizations and the roles members will fill in time of disaster; creates and maintains a resource directory for member organizations, maintains a current list of voting members (AMOR/AAMORs) and facilitates application process for new membership to be presented to the TGCRVOAD

Education & Training – identifies the training needs of member organizations, facilitates use of organizations for effective activity in all phases of a training disaster and helps plan CCCC meetings under the guidance of the TEC.

Communications – keeps a current email roster of all members, is responsible for notifying membership electronically of meetings, events, resources and developments pertaining to a disaster, promotes sharing of information via the internet and maintains the website:  www.tgcr.voad.org.

VIII. Voting

Each Member organization is entitled to one vote which will be cast by a designated representative for that organization (AMOR or AAMOR) as determined by the Secretary.

Organization representatives must be present at the meeting in order to vote.  It is the responsibility of the AMOR to identify the organization’s representation if the AMOR/AAMOR cannot be present at the quarterly business meeting by notifying the Secretary by email, telephone, fax or letter.  Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.

Members present at a properly noticed meeting shall constitute a quorum to do business.

All voting except as otherwise provided for in these bylaws shall pass by simple majority vote.

All votes (formal or consensus reached) will be recorded in the meeting minutes.

An individual or AMOR may represent more than one organization however an individual/AMOR has one vote regardless of the number of organizations he/she may represent.

IX. Glossary

The attached Glossary is a fully incorporated component of these bylaws.  Changes to acronyms do not require an amendment to these bylaws unless the acronym change makes a substantive change to any portion of these bylaws.

X. Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws may be made by a two-thirds majority vote.  Amendments must be moved and seconded at a properly noticed quarterly business meeting to be voted on at the following quarterly business meeting.

Glossary

 AAMOR – Alternate Authorized Member Organization Representative

 AMOR – Authorized Member Organization Representative

 EOC – Emergency Operations Center.  Harris County at TranStar, City of Houston at HEC

 NVOAD – National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

 TEC – The Executive Committee.  Comprised of the Chair, Chair-Elect, Secretary, Treasure and Chairs of the Standing Committees

 TGCRVOAD – Texas Gulf Coast Regional Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

 TXVOAD – Texas State Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

 VOAD – Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster

 www.tgcr.voad.org – Website address