WMACSA

bylaws

BYLAWS 
OF THE 
WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA 
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY ASSOCIATION 
(WMACSA) 

ARTICLE I 
Name 

The name of this organization shall be The Washington Metropolitan Area Construction Safety Association (“the Association”), a non-profit (not-for-profit) corporation located in,  and organized and registered under the laws of the District of Columbia. 
 

ARTICLE II 
Purpose 

The purpose of the Association is to promote safety in the construction industry.   To accomplish this purpose, the corporation undertakes activities including, but not limited to,  

• Defining, establishing and preserving the identity and common interests of construction safety and construction safety professionals. 

• Promoting better relations between Association members and governmental agencies, construction contractors, labor, and the public. 

• Fostering, encouraging, and maintaining safety standards in the conduct of construction work. 

• Coordinating and distributing information concerning construction safety. 

• Representing the common interests of construction safety and construction safety professionals.  

• Supporting the activities of national, state, and local safety organizations.  

• Promoting ethical practices and conduct among construction safety individuals. 

• Exchanging information concerning construction safety practices among members and with other construction trade associations and other organizations engaged in improving construction safety.

• Evaluating national and local safety legislation. 

• Giving opportunities for presentation of new products, ideas, and safety aids in construction safety.

• Assisting contractors whose work is not large enough to warrant a full-time Safety Engineer in establishing basic safety programs that will fill their particular needs. 

• Work with Labor and Management to promote accident prevention as an integral part of construction work. 

• Abstain from involvement in Labor/Management agreements and jurisdictional disputes.  

ARTICLE III 
Members 

Section 1.  Membership Eligibility and Admission Procedure 

Membership in the Association is open to persons who are engaged full time in construction safety or who, if not engaged full time in construction safety, are interested in the welfare of construction safety and in the purpose of the association. 

Membership in the Association may be obtained by submitting a completed application  and paying the dues established for that fiscal year, and upon approval by the Membership Committee if one then exists.  The application for membership shall be executed on the form provided by the association, which form will constitute an agreement that the applicant will abide by the Bylaws of the Association

Members who have paid the annual dues for the current Association year shall enjoy all the privileges of membership and shall be entitled to vote, except in voting for officers of the Association, a member must have paid the annual dues established for that Association year and have attended at least four (4) meetings during the current Association year.  
Service on an Association Subcommittee, as recognized by the Executive Board, or attendance at an Association sanctioned event, may be substituted for attendance at one regular monthly meeting. Regular monthly meetings that are officially cancelled because of severe weather or other reasons will be deducted from the minimum meeting attendance requirements.

A member shall be considered delinquent if annual dues have not been paid within sixty (60) days of notice that they are due.  No member while delinquent in payment of dues shall be entitled to vote on association matters, hold office, or receive publications or services provided by the Association.

A member may not speak on behalf of the Association without approval from the Executive Board.

Section 2. Annual Dues

The membership and Association year shall be from July 1 to June 30.  Dues for existing members shall be due at the first meeting of the fiscal year.  New members may be accepted at any time.

Changes to the amount of the annual dues for association membership shall be recommended by the Executive Board and voted upon by the membership of the association after thirty (30) days notice.  Approval of the annual dues shall by majority of those voting

ARTICLE IV 
Officers 

The following are the officers of the Association and their respective duties, which duties may be further specified and/or added to as necessary or appropriate to the smooth conduct of the Association. The President shall be the chief executive of this Association.
 

Section 1. Officers

Elected officers of the association shall be:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Chief Technical Officer

Officers of the association shall be elected for a one-year period, and then the term of the office shall run from July 1 to June 30.

Section 2. Duties

The President shall:  

• Be the chief executive of the Association and shall conduct and preside at all meetings of the Association,  
• Represent the Association at meetings of other organizations where official representation of the Association is desired, and  
• Appoint such committees as are necessary to implement the objectives of the Association.   
• Have at least served one (1) year as a WMACSA Executive Officer or two (2) years as an executive officer in another Environmental, Health and Safety Association,  and
• Serve a maximum of two (2) consecutive years

The Vice President shall: 

• Assume the powers and duties of the President during any absence or disability of the President.
• Assume responsibilities for work committees as assigned by the President. 

 The Secretary shall:  

• Maintain Association records and correspondence. 
• Record and distribute minutes of the proceedings of all meetings of the Association. 
• Notify Association member about meetings and other Association events. 
• Assume the duties of the Treasurer as necessary. 

The Treasurer shall:   

• Have general responsibility and charge of the financial affairs of the Association and for the care and custody of the funds and important papers of the Association.  
• Supervise the receipt and disbursement of funds. 
• Maintain Association funds in a depository approved by the Executive Board. 
• Assume the duties of the Secretary as necessary. 

The Chief Technical Officer shall:  

• Maintain the Association website to include posting of Association information. 

ARTICLE V 
Nomination and Election of Officers 

Section 1.  Nominations   
 

In February of each year, the Executive Board shall appoint an Elections Committee made up of 3 to 5 members who are in good standing in the Association. 
 
Nominations for officers will be taken by the monthly meeting in March by the meeting Chair, and nominations may be submitted to the Elections Committee Chair thereafter via postal mail or electronically until March 31.  
 
Prior to the monthly meeting in April, the Elections Committee Chair will submit the Elections Committee’s Report of Proposed Officer Candidates to the Executive Board for approval.  
 
At the monthly meeting in April, the Elections Committee Chair will present the approved Report of Proposed Officer Candidates to the membership

Section 2. Elections

The Elections Committee shall prepare a ballot to be used for the election of officers.   
 
A notice of the election shall be sent (by postal mail or electronically) to members, and the ballot shall be posted on the Association website, no later than two (2) weeks prior to the Annual Meeting in June. 
 
Qualified members may vote “in absentia” by submitting a single ballot to the Election Committee. Absentee ballots must be received by the Election Committee via email or sent by postal mail delivered to the WMACSA P.O. Box, two (2) business days prior to the Annual Meeting June. 
 
The Elections Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the election, including tallying the votes.  The results of the election shall be announced by the Elections Committee Chair and the new officers installed at the Annual Meeting in June.  

ARTICLE VI 
Executive Board

Section 1.  Board Composition 

The governing body of this Association shall be the Executive Board.  The Executive Board shall consist of the immediate Past President, President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, Chief Technical Officer  
 
Section 2.  Board’s Duties and Powers 

The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the affairs of the Association between its business meetings, make recommendations to the Association, and perform such duties as are specified in these Bylaws. The Board shall be subject to the orders of the Association, and none of its acts shall conflict with action taken by the Association. 
 
Section 3.  Board Meetings 

Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at such date, time and place as the President may designate.  
 
Three (3) officers members in attendance shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of voting.
 

ARTICLE VII 
Meetings

Regular meetings of the Association shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month, unless otherwise scheduled by the Executive Board. 
 
The President may, at his or her discretion, dispense with the regular meeting in the months of July and/or August or in the event of inclement weather.  
 
The June meeting shall be known as the Annual Meeting of the membership, at which the election and installation of officers shall be conducted.  
 
The following order of business shall usually be observed at meetings of the membership: 

• Introduction of members, new members and guests 
• Report of Secretary 
• Reading of the minutes of the previous monthly meeting Executive Board meeting minutes upon request. 
• Report of Treasurer 
• Report of the Chief Technical Officer 
• Reports of Committees 
• Reading of communications 
• Unfinished business 
• New business

Meetings shall generally be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order.

Fifteen (15) members in good standing in attendance shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of voting.

ARTICLE VIII 
Amendment of Bylaw

These Bylaws may be amended by two-thirds vote of the voting members of the Association present at any regular meeting.  A proposal to amend the bylaws must be made in writing, signed by at least 5 voting members, and submitted at a regular meeting of the Association.  Such amendment may be voted upon at any subsequent regular meeting, provided that a copy of the proposed amendment(s) has been electronically distributed to all voting members at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote.  

Updated and approved: April 12, 2017