Interior West Fire Council Constitution
( Adopted October 1990 )
( Amended October 1991 )
ARTICLE I
Name:
Section 1: The name of the organization
shall be the "Interior West Fire Council" for the
States of COLORADO, IDAHO, KANSAS, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NORTH
DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, WYOMING, for the Provinces
of ALBERTA, SASKATCHEWAN, and for the NORTHWEST
TERRITORIES.
ARTICLE II
Purpose:
Section 1: The purpose of the Interior
West Fire Council is to provide for a group structure which
represents private, State, Provincial, Territorial and Federal
forestry agencies, forest industries, universities and other
related groups. This group will advise and stimulate research
groups on matters of fire research and equipment development
and will also promote new and improved methods of fire prevention
and control and the beneficial use of fire.
Section 2: Specifically, the Council
will:
a. Help in developing, adapting and employing
up-to-date fire management techniques which will maintain
a desirable environment. Meet goals of sustained yield of
renewable natural resources through exchange of information.
b. Review current wildland fire problems
and recommend needed research and pilot projects for solutions.
c. Support the development and the conduct
of field testing of equipment and techniques to aid fire management,
prevention, control, and the beneficial use of fire.
d. Collect, prepare, and send out technical
guides and general information resulting from projects of
the Interior West Fire Council or its member organizations.
e. Promote strong commitments to interagency
cooperation and coordination at all levels.
f. Limit the purposes of the Interior
West Fire Council to charitable, educational and scientific
issues within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal
Revenue Code.
g. This Council shall not be involved in
the dissemination of propaganda and shall not participate
in or intervene (including the publishing or distribution
of statements) in any political campaign by any candidate
for public office.
h. Notwithstanding any other provisions
of these articles, the Council shall not carry on any other
activities not permitted by:
1. An organization exempt from Federal income
tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United
States Internal Revenue Law).
2. An organization, contributions to which
are deductible under Section 170 (c) (2) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future
United States Internal Revenue Law).
ARTICLE III
Membership:
Section 1: The Council members shall
include: representatives of private forest industries and
private timber protective associations; representatives from
State, Provincial, and Territorial natural resource agencies;
representatives from federal agencies such as the Bureau of
Land Management, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.A Forest Service, Forestry
Canada, and National Weather Service; representatives from
institutions of higher education such as universities, colleges,
and technical schools that offer programs in natural resource
management or related fields of education; representatives
from any other organization(s) or individual(s) interested
in the purpose of the council. These representatives shall
be concerned with or be interested in creating improvements
in fire prevention, fire suppression, and the use of fire
through research, development, and information exchange activities.
All representatives will automatically become members of the
fire council by indicating their desire to maintain such membership.
Section 2: No part of the net earnings
of the Interior West Fire Council shall inure to the benefit
of, or be distributable to, its members, its officers or other
private persons except to pay for services given or goods
received.
ARTICLE IV
Officers:
Section 1: The officers of the Council
shall be a Chair and Vice-Chair, each serving for one year
beginning the last day of the annual meeting. The secretary
position will be selected by the chair and be located within
the section hosting the next annual meeting. The State of
Montana will maintain a permanent Treasurer for the Council.
All officers must be active members i.e., each must have
attended at least one (1) annual IWFC meeting out of the last
three (3) meetings held. The organization shall endeavor
to rotate the Council Chair and Vice-Chair positions between
the Zone hosts in the Interior West in the following sequence:
(1) Eastern Zone (Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota),
(2) Western Zone (Idaho, Montana), (3) Southern Zone (Colorado,
Utah, Wyoming), and (4) Northern Zone (Alberta, Saskatchewan,
NW Territories). Each zone will select an individual who
is a Manager or Director of State, Provincial or Territorial
government fire program as Council Vice-chair two years before
their hosting the annual IWFC meeting. The Vice-chair will
automatically become Council Chair one year before their zone's
hosting of the annual meeting.
Officer Duties:
Section 1:
a. The Council Chair shall be the Chief
Executive Officer and shall preside at all meetings. The
Chair shall take action on all orders and resolutions voted
on and approved by the membership.
b. The Council Vice-Chair shall, in the
absence of the Council Chair, perform the duties and exercise
the powers of the Chair.
c. The Secretary shall keep and mail the
minutes of each council meeting to regular members and upon
request, to others who were in attendance. The Secretary
shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Council
Chair. If both the Council Chair and Vice-Chair are absent
from a meeting, the Secretary shall exercise the powers of
the Chair.
d. The Treasurer shall have charge of all
records and finances and shall perform such other duties as
assigned by the Council Chair.
ARTICLE V
Method of Operation:
Section 1: A steering committee
appointed by the Council Chair will consist of twelve (12)
members: three (3) from State, provincial, or territorial
fire agencies, three (3) from federal fire agencies, two (2)
from private industry, two (2) from a university, college
or technical school and two (2) from research.
Section 2: The committee members
are appointed for two (2) years with six (6) members being
replaced each year. No members on this committee can serve
more than two consecutive periods. The Council Chair and
Vice-Chair are ex-officio members of the steeing committee.
The administrative head of any group whose principal and permanent
purpose is fires (wildland or allied fire control, or research)
may be asked to become an ex-officio member of the steering
committee.
Section 3: The Council Chair, may
appoint ad-hoc committees as needed upon the advice and guidance
of the Steering Committee.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings:
Section 1: The Council Chair or
Secretary/Treasurer shall call meetings to carry out the responsibilities
of the council. Normally, the council shall hold a minimum
of one (1) meeting each calendar year, and whenever desirable
and necessary, the council will hold two meetings per year.
ARTICLE VII
Constitutional Amendments:
Section 1: Any member may propose
amendments to this Constitution in writing by mailing proposed
amendments, along with their name and address, to the full
membership at least 30 days before the next annual or special
meeting.
Section 2: Members shall vote on
the proposed amendments at the next annual or special meeting
following the mailing of these proposed amendments to the
membership.
Section 3: Members may rewrite or
withdraw the amendments they propose during the meeting.
Section 4: Ratification of amendments
shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote at a meeting
that has a quorum.
Section 5: The ratified amendments
shall be mailed to all members. Ratified amendments will
become effective the following January 1.
ARTICLE VIII
Dissolution:
Section 1: The intent to dissolve
the Interior West Fire Council shall be mailed to the membership
at least 30 days before the next annual or special meeting.
Section 2: Dissolution of this Constitution
and the Interior West Fire Council will be by a two-thirds
majority of the quorum present at the next meeting.
Section 3: The Officers shall pay
or make provisions for the payment of all of the liabilities
of the council upon dissolution and will then dispose of all
the remaining assets of the council to such organization(s)
organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational,
or scientific purposes. These organization(s), as determined
by the Officers, shall qualify as exempt organization(s) under
Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or
the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal
Revenue Law). The Circuit Court will dispose of any such
assets not so disposed by the Officers. The Circuit Court
County location is the same as the principal office of the
council Secretary/Treasurer at the time of dissolution. Disposal
is exclusively for such purposes or to such organization(s)
as said court shall determine as organized and operated exclusively
for such purposes.
INTERIOR WEST FIRE COUNCIL
BY-LAWS
( Adopted October 1990 )
A. Membership:
Section 1: Members will maintain
active standing by attendance at not less than one (1) council
meeting out of the immediate past three (3).
B. Resolutions:
Section 1: Resolutions approved
by the Interior West Fire Council must pass by a simple majority
vote at a meeting that has a quorum.
C. Meetings:
Section 1: Written notices of meetings
will be mailed at least 30 days before such meetings. The
Council Chair shall assume responsibility to keep the council
members informed on matters it should handle. The council
will weigh the matter and decide on appropriate action.
Section 2: Regular annual meeting
of the Interior West Fire Council will be held during October
or the first half of November. The Council Chair selects
a place within the host zone to hold the annual meeting.
Section 3: All meetings will be
conducted under Robert's Rules of Order.
D Quorum:
Section 1: A quorum is thirty (30)
voting members (members in active standing) representing
at least ten (10) agency members. A letter ballot will be
used in the absence of a quorum.
E. Committees:
Section 1: The Council Chair shall
annually appoint a program chair. The program chair shall
be a member from a participating organization in the host
zone for that year's meeting. The program chair may enlist
additional help from IWFC members to serve on the program
committee.
F. Policy Statements:
Section 1: Wildland fire protection
agency members will make available at each annual business
meeting a written and/or verbal report on current agency operations,
including immediate past fire season activities .
Section 2: The council will attempt
to award annual scholarships based on the approved scholarship
guidelines.
Section 3: The council will attempt
to recognize annually an exceptional individual or organization.
This individual or organization should have made outstanding
and dedicated contributions of time and effort in the promotion
and support of fire management practices and principals.
G. By-Laws Amendments:
Section 1: Amend by-laws only during
annual or special meetings of the council.
Section 2. State proposed amendments
and vote upon them at the same meeting.
Section 3. Require two-thirds (2/3)
majority of the quorum present to amend by-laws. Changes
shall become effective upon their passage.
Section 4. Distribute by-law changes
and minutes of the meeting to all members.
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