BYLAWS OF THE
OAK GROVE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, INCORPORATED
Amended July 27, 2009
Chapter 1. NAME AND PURPOSE
Section A. The
name of this corporation will be the Oak Grove Volunteer Fire Department,
Incorporated.
Section B. The
purpose of this non-profit corporation will be to teach fire prevention and
practice fire suppression in a proficient manner for the communities within our
adopted territory.
Chapter 2. OFFICIAL SEAL
Section A. The
adopted color and seal will be a gold and red volunteer fire department emblem
on a blue background inside of a red Maltese. Gold lettering of “Vol. Fire Dept. Inc.” on the Maltese and
gold lettering of “Oak Grove” and “Whitley Co.” on a royal blue background with
a gold outline surrounded by a red outline.
Section B. The
official seal can be used in black and white.
It will be used on all official documents, stationary, and firefighter’s
identification cards.
Section C. The
official color seal is the official shoulder patch of the Oak Grove Volunteer
Fire Department, Inc. This patch
replaces the former patch that has been discontinued. All firefighters will be required to wear the
official patch on the left shoulder after completing the probationary
period. This patch may not be worn by
non-active fire department members.
Chapter 3. MEMBERSHIPS
Section A. Subscription
Memberships will be issued to households that pay a donation (due) of at
least $30 (thirty) per year and to businesses that pay a donation (due) of at
least $60 (sixty) per year. Fires must
not be intentional or negligence.
Unlawful burns will not be covered.
Each paying household will be entitled to one vote at the Annual General
Membership Meeting.
Section B. Firefighter
Memberships will be issued to active firefighters who are at least eighteen
(18) years old, physically fit, have completed an application and a ninety (90)
day probationary period and have been approved by the majority vote on a
written ballot by the Board of Directors.
The Chief will present the firefighter’s record to the Board of
Directors for consideration. The
Chapter 3. MEMBERSHIPS (Cont.)
Section B.
(Cont.) Secretary will send a letter of approval
or rejection to the applicant. After
being approved, the firefighter must attend fifty (50) percent of all departmental
meetings, fires, training sessions, and functions to be considered an active
firefighter. Active firefighters will
have the same benefits as a Subscription Member and will have one vote at the
Annual General Membership Meeting.
Section C. Firefighter’s
Auxiliary Community Memberships will be issued to active members of the Firefighters
Auxiliary Community, which will be composed of persons from the area, not
necessarily Firefighter’s wives who abide by the rules of the corporation and
work to better the department. The Firefighter’s
Auxiliary Community will have their own rules and regulations. Their use of the property for functions will
be subject to the approval of the Board of Directors and will not interfere
with fire related training. Active Firefighter’s
Auxiliary Community Members will have one vote at the Annual General Membership
Meeting.
Chapter 4. MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS
Section A. Annual
General Membership Meetings will be held once each year on the last Saturday of
June at a time designated in advance by the Board of Directors. At this time, there will be an election of
the members of the Board of Directors.
All Subscription Members will be notified by classified advertisement
and/or radio public service announcement ten (10) days prior to the date of
this meeting. The election of the Board
of Directors will be by closed written secret ballot. You must be a member in good standing ten
(10) days prior to the election. Proxy
and mail-in votes will not be accepted.
No person will be given a multiple vote.
When the nominations have closed, the Secretary will check the rolls and
distribute the official blank ballots.
Membership cards may be required as proof of membership. Finished ballots will be placed into a locked
box. When the last ballot has been cast,
the votes will be tabulated and the winners determined by a majority vote will
be announced. The two (2) members or
candidates receiving the largest number of votes will be elected to the Board
of Directors. In case of a tie vote,
there will be a second ballot involving only those persons involved in the tie
until two (2) members are chosen.
Section B. Monthly
(Executive) Meetings will be held monthly by the Board of Directors. A quorum of five (5) Directors will be required. Attending guests will have no voice and no
vote in the proceedings. Executive
meetings may be closed upon the request of the any Director and must be closed
upon the request of two (2) Directors.
Chapter 4. MEETINGS AND ELECTIONS (Cont.)
Section C. Special
Executive Meetings may be called by the President and must be called upon the
request of any three (3) Directors. Five
(5) members will constitute a quorum.
Section D. Special
General Membership Meetings may be called upon the request of any five (5)
members of the Board of Directors or a petition signed by five (5) per cent of
the general membership.
Chapter 5. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section A. The
Board of Directors will consist of nine (9) members. Eight (8) members are elected from the general
membership for four (4) year terms. Two
(2) members are elected each term effective June 2008. The Chief of the fire department will
automatically be a member of the Board of Directors and will have a vote, but
will not hold any offices.
Section B. The
Board of Directors will have the control and management of the business, funds,
and properties of the corporation. It
may adopt bylaws not inconsistent with these bylaws; decree and enforce rules
governing the use of the properties and privileges of the corporation by its
members, their families and guests; fill any vacancies in its own membership;
appoint standing or special committees of the corporation and change their
personnel at will.
Section C. Officers
of the Board of Directors will be chosen from the members of the Board of
Directors at the first Monthly (Executive) Meeting following the Annual General
Membership Meeting.
Chapter 6. DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section A. President
will preside at all meetings of the members and the Directors, sign all
identification cards for firefighters, perform generally all duties usually
executed by such office, and other duties as may be from time to time required
of him/her by the members or the Directors.
Section B. Vice
President will perform all duties of the President in case of the
President’s absence or disability. In
the event both the President and the Vice President are absent or unable to
perform their duties, the members or Directors, as the case may be, may appoint
a President Pro Tempore.
Section C. Treasurer
will receive and safely keep all monies and financial records belonging to the
corporation and will make disbursements to the satisfaction of the Board of
Directors. It will be the duty of the
Treasurer to keep an
Chapter 6. DUTIES OF OFFICERS (Cont.)
Section C.
(Cont.) accurate accounting of the finances of
the corporation. The Treasurer will
render an accounting of the standing of the corporation at the Annual General
Membership Meeting and each month, or as required by the Board of Directors. The office of the Treasurer must be
bonded. The Treasurer will be
responsible for all billing and for payment of any debts. The same person may hold the office of
Secretary-Treasurer. At the expiration of the term of office, the Treasurer
will deliver all monies and properties of the corporation in his/her possession
to the successor.
Section D. Secretary
will keep an accurate record of all transactions of the members and
Directors. The Secretary will give all
notices required by law and all notices provided by the bylaws of the
corporation. He/She will keep a proper
secretary’s book, will record therein all minutes of member’s or Director’s
meetings, and other duties as shall be proper and necessary. He/She will issue and attest all certificates
of membership and generally perform such duties as may be required by members
or Directors. At the expiration of the
term of office, he/she will deliver all books, papers, and properties of the
corporation to the successor.
Section E. Chief
of the fire department will be appointed by the Board of Directors upon the
resignation of the former fire chief.
The requirements for Chief will be a
Chapter 7. COMMITTEES
Section A. The
Board of Directors may create any committees and empower them to carry on the
necessary business of the corporation.
These committees shall report any progress at all meetings until such
projects are completed or terminated.
Chapter 8. PROPERTIES
Section A. Properties
owned and purchased by the corporation will be used to the best
Chapter 8. PROPERTIES (Cont.)
Section A.
(Cont.) purpose in promoting the efficiency of
the fire department. Any income derived
from such properties will be deposited with the corporate Treasurer and will be
used only for proper purpose of the corporation.
Section B. The
use of the firehouse will be determined by the Board of Directors for all
non-firefighting and non-fire training use.
During these times, the Chief has priority use of the premises.
Section C. The
care and maintenance of the firehouse will be the duty of everyone. The Board of Directors or the fire chief will
designate a person to oversee the care and cleaning of the firehouse and
property before each function is held.
Section D. Firefighters
will sign for all issued equipment. Each
person is responsible for all equipment entrusted to them and must use pertinent
care in its handling. It must be brought
in during the annual inventory. Firefighters can be charged for any equipment
that was damaged or lost through negligent handling. All gear must be returned to the department
upon a resignation or dismissal.
Section E. An
annual inventory must be conducted by the Chief or a person or persons
designated by him/her. This complete
inventory of all properties owned by the corporation will be used to replace
old and worn equipment, to recognize missing equipment, to find out where all
equipment is located, and for insurance purposes. A copy of this inventory will be filed in the
fire department's records and a copy filed in the business records.
Section F. Board
of Director members, firefighters, and Firefighters Auxiliary Community members
will not be paid for their services.
They will not use the fire department for a profit. However, a member can be reimbursed for
materials used in connection with the fire department. No person can use the Oak Grove Volunteer
Fire Department, Incorporated name for personal gain.
Chapter 9. INCOME
Section A. All
income of the corporation shall be deposited in the corporate account by the
Treasurer. All monies from subscription memberships will be classified as
donations. A letter or certificate can
be sent to an individual who gives donations above the minimum amount.
Section B. Firefighters
can make a request as to how monies that they have helped earn should be spent.
Chapter 10. DISPOSAL OF PROPERTIES
Section A. Any
piece of property can be sold or donated to another non-profit agency to the
benefit of the corporation. Properties
do not have to be sold to non-profit agencies or other fire departments.
Section B. Items
that are valued at less than five hundred ($500) dollars will have a price set
for its sale by the Board of Directors.
The item will not be sold for less than the amount of the asking
price. It can be sold to the person making
the highest offer.
Section C. Items
that are valued in excess of five hundred ($500) dollars can be sold by
bid. There will be advertisements placed
in a minimum of three (3) publications and/or radio announcement and/or plaque
on said object stating the item for sale and the lowest bid that will be
accepted. It can be sold by closed
bid. The date of the sale will be
announced. The Oak Grove Volunteer Fire
Department, Inc. reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
Section D. Any
property that is no longer of use to the corporation can be donated to another
fire department within the area upon the recommendation of the fire chief. The other department must be in need of the
donated item or items. The Board of
Directors must make the final decision about the transaction.
Section E. Any
property that is no longer used by the fire department can be traded to another
fire department for an item of comparable value upon the approval of the Board
of Directors.
Chapter 11. DISCIPLINE
Section A. Any
firefighter may be suspended or expelled upon showing of good cause why he/she
should be disciplined by the Chief or the majority of the Board of
Directors. Any suspension or expulsion
will be made in writing. The firefighter
has the right to have his/her case reviewed by the Board of Directors or a
Committee assigned to that task.
Section B. The
Chief may be expelled or replaced upon the showing of good cause and a
plurality vote of the Board of Directors.
Any suspension or expulsion will be made in writing. The Chief has the right to have his/her case
reviewed by the Board of Directors.
Section C. Any
Firefighter’s Auxiliary Community member may be suspended or expelled upon the
showing of good cause why she should be disciplined by the Officers of the Firefighter’s
Auxiliary Community or a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any suspension or expulsion will be made in
writing. She has the right to an appeal
by the members of the Board of Directors and/or the Firefighter’s Auxiliary
Community.
Chapter 11. DISCIPLINE (Cont.)
Section D. Any
member of the Board of Directors may be expelled or replaced upon the showing
of good cause and the majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any suspension
or expulsion will be made in writing.
He/she must be send a letter of appeal to the President of the Board in
order to have his/her case reviewed by the Board of Directors.
Section E. All
firefighters, Firefighter’s Auxiliary Community, and Board of Directors must
obey all laws of the
Section F. The
firehouse and surrounding properties are privately owned by the Oak Grove
Volunteer Fire Department, Incorporated and shall not be used for any purpose
without the written permission of the Board of Directors. The parking of one’s private vehicle on fire
department property will not be allowed because of the danger it can constitute
if it hinders a fire apparatus.
Chapter 12. ORDER OF BUSINESS
Section A. The
order of business at all regular meetings of the members of the corporation
(unless otherwise ordered by a majority vote) will be as follows:
1.Roll call
2.
3.Treasurer’s Report
4.Unfinished (old) business
5.New or miscellaneous business
Section B. At
the Annual General Membership Meeting, the order of business shall be as follows:
1.Roll call of Directors
2.Financial Report
3.Guest speaker(s)
4.Reports and new business
5.Election of Directors
Chapter 13. AWARDS AND HONORS
Section A. An
Award of Valor will be given to any firefighter who without regard of his own
life, going above and beyond the call of duty, rescues another person or
persons, keeping said person or persons from injury or death. This award will be the highest award given to
any firefighter.
Chapter 13. AWARDS AND HONORS (Cont.)
Section B. A
Service Award will be given to any firefighter upon the completion of five (5)
years of service and each five (5) years of following service.
Section C. There
will be a large plaque placed in the firehouse listing each firefighter and the
date of his/her certification. Firefighters
will not be listed until the certification is issued.
Section D. The
department will have a dinner each year to honor all firefighters. The department will cover the cost of the
plaques and awards.
Section E. The
Chief shall decide who earns the Award of Valor.
Chapter 14. REPEALS AND AMENDMENTS
Section A. These bylaws may be amended or repealed by the majority vote of the members present and entitled to vote at any Monthly (Executive) Meeting or a Special Meeting called for that purpose.