BYLAWS
OF
THE OHIO HUNTER AND TRAPPER EDUCATION
INSTRUCTORS ASSOCIATION.
BYLAW I
(Goals)
The goals of The Ohio Hunter and Trapper Education Instructors Association (“Association”) include the following:
● To provide quality volunteer hunter and trapper education instruction to new Ohio hunter or trappers;
● To recruit new, qualified hunter and trapper education instructors;
● To support Ohio hunter and trapper education instructors in their instructional efforts;
● To share among members new and improved instructional techniques and mechanisms;
● To affiliate with, if desired, other hunting, trapping, shooting and wildlife oriented organizations with which its shares common goals;
● To foster cooperation and coordination between the Association and the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the U. S. Fish and Game Commission and, upon request, to aid and assist the Ohio Division of Wildlife in the administration and maintenance of the Ohio Hunter and Trapper Education Program;
● To prevent hunting related accidents through proper safe hunting education instruction;
● To promote and uphold the image of hunting and trapping as legitimate tools for wildlife management and as valid recreational sports or activities; and
● To promote good sportsmanship and ethical hunting and trapping by Ohio hunters and fur takers; and
● To engage in other appropriate activities as determined by the Association’s Board of Directors.
BYLAW II
(Memberships)
(A) General Members. Only General Members shall vote at any Association General Members meeting. Admission to General membership shall be open to all State of Ohio certified Hunter/Trapper Education Instructors, except those who are employees of the Ohio Division of Wildlife or other Ohio agency responsible for certifying Hunter or Trapper Instructors. Only General Members may hold office in the Association or be a Director thereof, other than one ex officio (non-voting) Director who shall be the Ohio Hunter Education Coordinator or other designee of the Chief of the Division of Wildlife. A certified instructor’s General membership may be maintained until suspended, terminated or revoked as provided in the Association’s Constitution or these Bylaws.
No initiation fees shall be charged to become a General Member. General Members shall be charged annual dues in such amount as is determined by the Board of Directors from time to time in order to maintain their general membership.
(B) Associate Members. Employees of the Ohio Division of Wildlife (or other comparable instructor certifying Ohio state agency) who are certified Ohio Hunter or Trapper Education Instructors are eligible to be Associate Members of the Association.
No initiation fees shall be charged to become an Associate Member. Associate Members shall be charged no periodic dues in order to maintain their Associate membership.
(C) Affiliate Members. Affiliate membership in the Association shall be open to individuals who and entities which support the Association’s purposes and goals and wish to be formally affiliated with it.
The annual or other periodic dues of Affiliate Members or various classes of Affiliate Members shall be as set by the Board of Directors from time to time. Until changed by such Board, the annual dues for an Affiliate Member shall be $15.00.
(D) Emeritus Members. Emeritus Member status may be conferred by the Board upon any currently or previously certified Ohio Hunter or Trapper Education Instructor who has rendered meritorious service to the Ohio Hunter or Trapper certification programs and who (i) has held or previously held such certification for a minimum of 12 years and (ii) has either attained the age of 62 years or, by reason of a recognized disability can no longer keep, or for any other reason no longer desires to keep, his/her certification current pursuant to the regulations or guidelines applied by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (or comparable State agency) for the maintenance of such currency.
(E) Honorary Members. Honorary membership in the Association may be conferred by the Board upon any individual who or entity which supports the purposes and goals of the Association and who or which has made an ongoing and highly significant contribution to the Association of funds, materials or services.
(F) Committee Membership. In order to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest or domination by special interests, Affiliate Members are not eligible to serve as voting members of Association or Board committees. Members of any other class of membership are eligible to serve on such committees (other than the Board’s Executive Committee), subcommittees or Task Groups and shall have such committee voting rights, if any, as are conferred by the President at the time he makes the appointment.
ARTICLE III
(Election of Directors)
(A) General. As a general principle, each of Ohio’s currently five (5) Wildlife Districts shall be entitled to elect three Directors to the Association’s Board of Directors by and from the General Members of the District to be represented. In the event a District for any reason does not have three qualified individuals who are available and willing to serve as its representatives, an Ohio certified instructor from another District may be elected by the members of the District to be represented or, if a vacancy then exists, such instructor from another District may be appointed to represent such District by the Association’s Board of Directors. See Article IV, Section (A), of the Constitution regarding the preferences the Board shall apply in making appointments to Director vacancies.
(B) Notice. At least ninety (90) days prior to the annual General Members meeting, notice of the pendency of the Association’s annual election of Directors shall be published to all General Members in either the Association’s Newsletter or the Division of Wildlife’s Newsletter to Ohio certified instructors. The Notice shall identify one Director from each District who is not up for election in the year in question as the Director to whom nominations may be sent. Only General Members may nominate candidates for the position of Director.
(C) Ballot preparation. After consultation with the Chief Outdoors Skills Officer of the District to be represented, such consultation to include the eligibility of any individual nominated and whether there are any additional candidates the Director should nominate or encourage to be nominated, the responsible Director shall cause a printed ballot to be prepared containing the names of all qualified candidates who have been nominated by General Members residing in the District and a blank line in which a General Member may write-in the name of any certified instructor from the District (or who has previously represented the District) and whose name does not appear on the printed ballot. (For purposes of this Section, a “qualified” candidate is one who possesses a valid and current certification as an Ohio Hunter or Trapper instructor.) The responsible Director shall arrange for the ballots to be mailed to the General Members residing in the District.
(D) Ballot Return. The instructions on or accompanying the ballot shall advise the General Member to mark or write in his/her choice for a Director on the ballot and to endorse it with his/her Ohio certificate number, but not his/her name. Further, the instructions shall advise the General Member to return the ballot to the responsible Director so that he/she receives it not less than 30 days prior to the annual members meeting.
(E) Tally of Ballots. The responsible Director shall inspect the returned ballots and tally those valid votes returned to him/her on a timely basis. Such ballots shall be retained by the responsible Director until the annual General Members meeting and for a period of sixty (60) days thereafter and may be inspected by the Association’s Elections Committee or its designee and by any candidate for the office of Director, if so directed by the Board of Directors. Any dispute about the validity of any ballot, the qualification of any nominee or the accuracy of the tally shall be referred to the Election Committee and subsequently to the Board for final resolution.
(F) Announcement of Results. The results of each District’s election shall be announced at the annual General Members meeting or any special meeting held in lieu thereof and, unless contested by a written protest delivered to the Chair of the Elections Committee (the Second Vice President) within sixty (60) days after the annual General Members meeting, shall be conclusively deemed to be final. Any action taken or vote cast by any Director after his/her election has been announced at such a General Member’s meeting shall be a valid and binding act or vote notwithstanding that such Director’s election may be subject to such a protest. The announced Director shall continue to function in office until a final adverse ruling by the Board, if any.
(G) Appeal. In the event a Director’s election is challenged via timely written protest, the Board shall resolve the controversy in favor of or against the announced Director within 90 days after the General Members meeting at which his/her election was announced. Any ruling by the Board which is adverse to the elected Director or to his/her protesting opponent may be appealed to the General Members at their next annual General Members meeting or a special meeting called for such purpose and the Board’s action may be overturned by a two-thirds (2/3rds) majority vote of the General Members. In the event the Board’s adverse action is overturned, the appealing individual shall be installed as or reinstated as a member of the Board for the remaining balance of the term in question.
ARTICLE IV
(Officers)
(A) President. The President shall be the Association’s chief executive officer. He/she shall preside at all meetings of the members, all meetings of the Board and all meetings of the Executive Committee. He/she shall also be an ex officio member of all standing committees of the Association and all ad hoc committees, subcommittees or Task Groups unless otherwise specified by the Board. He/she shall determine whether an Audit Committee shall be created as to any particular fiscal year’s financial statements and shall appoint the members of such committee if one is created. He/she also shall be responsible for calling annual or special meetings of the General Members or any other class of members, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. He/she also shall have such other duties, responsibilities and authorities as may be conferred upon him or her by the Board and shall perform those additional duties as customarily are performed by the President of a non-profit charitable corporation.
(B) First Vice President. The First Vice President shall be responsible for the arrangements for and the program to be presented at the Association’s annual meeting of members. In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, or of the President’s incapacity or unavailability, the First Vice President shall perform any and all functions of the President on a pro tempore basis.
(C) Second Vice President. In the event of a vacancy in the office of First Vice President, or of the First Vice President’s incapacity or unavailability, the Second Vice President shall perform any and all functions of the First Vice President on a pro tempore basis.
(D) Treasurer. The Treasurer shall be responsible for all funds of the Association and their safekeeping, The Treasurer shall deposit all of the Association’s funds in banks or other financial institutions as authorized by the Board, shall be one of the Association’s authorized signatories on all of its checking, savings or investment accounts and shall assure that its funds are expended only for valid, legitimate and authorized purposes. He/she also is responsible for preparing or overseeing the preparation of the Association’s financial reports and records. He/she shall provide at the Association’s expense a fidelity bond for the faithful performance of his/her duties, if so required by the Board, in such amount as may be specified by the Board.
(E) Secretary. The secretary shall keep the minutes of all members and Directors meetings and shall be the custodian of the Association’s corporate books and records. He/she also shall have authority to issue certificates of incumbency and authorization as to the Association’s other officers to financial institutions, lending institution and parties with which or whom the Association contracts.
ARTICLE V
(Committees)
(A) Executive Committee. The Executive Committee is composed of the acting officers of the Board. In the interim between Board meetings, the Executive Committee may perform all actions and functions which the Board itself could perform if in session. All actions of the Executive Committee taken in the interim between Board meetings shall be reported to the Board at its next regular or special meeting after such action was taken. The Executive Committee may meet by telephone. Notice of Executive Committee meetings shall be given 48 hours in advance of the meeting time and date, but may be waived by members of the committee. For purposes of doing business, any three officers of the Association shall constitute a quorum.
(B) Elections and Recognition Committee. This Committee is responsible for organizing the election of Directors prior to the annual members meeting and for overseeing the results thereof. It also is responsible for procuring awards and recognition certificates for worthy members and for the initial screening and recommendation to the Board of candidates for Honorary Membership, Emeritus Membership and Affiliate Membership.
(C) Finance Committee. This Committee shall be responsible for preparing the Association’s annual budget for presentation to and approval by the Board and for preparing the Association’s annual Financial Report to the members.
(D) Education and Public Relations Committee. This Committee is responsible for investigating, reviewing, recommending for publication to the members and assisting in the implementation of such new or improved instructional techniques, concepts or mechanisms as are approved by the Board. It also is responsible for fostering a positive image for the Association and its goals as set forth in these Bylaws. Included without limitation within this Committee’s responsibility is preparation and distribution to members of an Association Newsletter or articles to appear in the Division of Wildlife’s newsletter to hunter and trapper education instructors, and the identification of an editor for the Association’s newsletter and articles.
(E) Annual Meeting Committee. This Committee is responsible for making arrangement for the annual General Members meeting, including without limitation announcements, accommodations, program, entertainment and refreshments.
(F) Fund Raising Committee. This Committee is responsible for identifying potential sources of revenue and contributions of monetary and in kind donations to the Association, including grants from governmental agencies, foundations, corporations and individuals. All fund raising activities of the Association must be reviewed by this Committee in advance of implementation and, upon the Committee’s report and recommendation, must be approved by the Board or its Executive Committee prior to implementation.
(G) Other Committees. When the Board or its Executive Committee establishes other committees, such as ad hoc committees, or subcommittee or task groups, each such committee or task group will carry out its charge or other assignment and provide the Board or Executive Committee with its report and, if applicable, recommendations for action by the appointing body.
ARTICLE VI
(Amendments)
Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, the Constitution, or required by law, these Bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the Directors present and acting at any duly called and noticed regular or special meeting of the Board called for such purpose.
Adopted September 23, 2006.
