Bylaws

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Preamble

The North Carolina Public Health Association was organized June 20, 1911 and on April 24, 1922, became the North Carolina Public Health Association. The Association was incorporated September 15, 1969.

Bylaws

Article I

NAME

The name of this Organization shall be the North Carolina Public Health Association, Inc. (NCPHA).

Article II

MISSION STATEMENT

North Carolina Public Health Association is an association of individuals and organizations working to improve the public’s health through political advocacy, public awareness, professional development, and the interface between research and practice.

VISION STATEMENT

The North Carolina Public Health Association is the leading professional association for people dedicated to promoting and protecting the health and environment of all North Carolinians.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The Guiding Principles of the North Carolina Public Health Association are: integrity, dignity and respect, pride and commitment, inclusion and education for individuals and communities

Article III

MEMBERSHIP

The Association shall consist of Regular Members, Student Members, Life Members, Retiree Members, First Time Members. Other categories of membership are Contributing Members, Affiliate Members, Associational Members Governmental Members and Institutional Members. Persons admitted to membership shall be actively engaged in health work or have a serious interest in the NCPHA and its mission.

EDNCPHA and WNCPHA Affiliates shall be assessed dues not to exceed 0.1% of each affiliate's annual operating budget providing the said affiliate with a vote on Governing Council. Any other health related organization approved for affiliate membership in the Association shall be at the same cost/benefit as EDNCPHA and WNCPHA Affiliates.

Article IV

FINANCES

All funds received shall be deposited to the credit of the NCPHA in depositories approved by the Executive Committee.

The Governing Council shall establish dues for all categories of membership. Notification of change in dues shall be made to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting preceding the fiscal year in which they are to go into effect. Contributing members' dues shall be exempt from this notification requirement. All dues are payable on the anniversary date of membership. The fiscal year shall be January 1 - December 31.

Determination of all fees shall be the responsibility of the Governing Council.

The accounts of NCPHA shall be audited annually by an Auditing Committee appointed by the President.

Article V

MEETINGS OF THE MEMBERSHIP

There shall be an annual meeting of the membership of NCPHA to be held at a time and place to be designated by the Governing Council.

A special meeting may be called by the President upon request of the Governing Council, or upon written request of one hundred (100) members of NCPHA provided thirty (30) days advance notice of the time, place, and purpose of the special meeting is sent to the members of NCPHA.

One hundred (100) members present in person, shall constitute a quorum.

Article VI

OFFICERS

The Officers of the NCPHA shall consist of a President, President-Elect, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer, who shall be duly elected by the members and shall serve from the close of the meeting at which they are elected until the close of the next NCPHA Annual Meeting, or until their successors are duly elected. The President-Elect shall automatically ascend to the Presidency after serving as President-Elect. The President should have served on the Executive Committee during the past five (5) years.

The duties of the officers shall be those usually implied by the office and shall be outlined in the Manual of Procedures.

Should a vacancy occur in the office of President, the President-Elect shall ascend to the Presidency.

Should a vacancy occur in the Office of President-Elect, the President shall reconvene the Nominating Committee for the previous year and charge them to nominate a minimum of two (2) qualified individuals for the office of President-Elect. A special election would then be held by mail within thirty (30) days.

Should a vacancy occur in the office of Vice-President of Education, Vice-President of Communication, Secretary or Treasurer, it shall be filled by the Executive Committee in a reasonable time, but not to exceed thirty (30) days.

Article VII

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee shall be composed of the Immediate Past President, the President, the President-Elect, the Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, the elected Representatives to APHA and Southern Health Association and the six (6) Members at Large.

The Executive Committee shall be empowered to transact the business of the NCPHA in the interim between meetings of the Governing Council. All action taken by the Executive Committee shall be reported at the next meeting of the Governing Council.

Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called by the President as needed. A majority of the members of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Article VIII

RELATIONSHIPS

Affiliated Groups: An affiliate group may be voted into NCPHA by a majority of the membership voting according to the Bylaws, provided the application for membership is recommended by the governing Council.

The affiliated group shall conduct its activities in cooperation with the NCPHA and report to the Governing Council.

The ByLaws of the affiliated group shall not be in conflict with the ByLaws of the NCPHA. Any project or action of an affiliated district which would involve reference to, or participation by NCPHA, shall not be undertaken until it is submitted in writing to, and approved by, the Executive Committee.

APHA and Southern Health Association: The NCPHA shall maintain affiliation with the American Public Health Association and Southern Health Association and elect an official representative to each organization.

Other Health Related Organizations: Membership of NCPHA in health related organizations must be approved by the Governing Council.

Article IX

GOVERNING COUNCIL

The Governing Council shall consist of the members of the Executive Committee, the Chairman of each Section of NCPHA, and one representative elected by each affiliated groups of NCPHA. Executive Committee members, Section Chairmen and Affiliated Group Representatives may send a proxy to the Governing Council Meetings who shall have voting privileges, provided that written notification, signed by the Section Chairman or Affiliated Group Representative, or Executive Committee member is received by the President.

The Governing Council shall be empowered to adopt a budget; recommend the creation and dissolution of sections; take action concerning affiliates; establish dues for all categories of membership; take action on resolutions; and recommend over-all policies for NCPHA. The Governing Council shall receive reports from all committees and shall take action on all reports with the exception of those submitted by the Nominating, Awards, and Annual Meeting Committees.

Actions taken by the Governing Council shall be reported to the membership at the next Annual Meeting. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present shall be required to override the action of the Governing Council.

A majority of the members of the Governing Council present at any duly called meeting of the Governing Council shall constitute a quorum.

Article X

COMMITTEES

STANDING COMMITTEES

Professional Development Committee, Audit Committee, Public Advocacy Committee, Public Awareness Committee, Membership/Outreach Committee, Organizational Structure Committee. Duties and composition of the Standing Committees are outlined in the Manual of Procedures.

Any Committee shall have the right to appeal the Governing Council's action at the Annual Meeting of NCPHA, provided the Committee Chairman has filed a written notice of appeal with the President twelve (12) hours prior to the Membership Meeting.

Any special committee or task force appointed should function for at least three (3) years prior to being established as a Standing Committee. When and if this special committee or task force is recommended as a Standing Committee a written outline of purpose, function and duties should be submitted to the ByLaws and Manual of Procedures Committee for approval by the Governing Council.

A majority of the members present at any Committee meeting shall constitute a quorum.

Article XI

SECTIONS

A Section may be created by a majority vote of the membership at the Annual Meeting, provided the application for creation of such section has been approved by the Governing Council. An individual must be member of NCPHA to qualify for membership in any Section.

In order to acquire section status a written application, defining the purpose of the section, and a copy of the proposed ByLaws of the section must be filed with the chairperson of the Bylaws and Manual of Procedures Committee of NCPHA. The application must be signed by a minimum of twenty-five (25) persons who would become members of the section.

Upon approval by the Governing Council, a section may establish one subsection which shall consist of no less than twenty-five (25) members. The subsection members shall be members of NCPHA and the respective section. The procedure for establishment of a subsection shall be the same as that for establishing a section as outlined in this Article, second paragraph. Section-Subsection relationships shall be defined in Section ByLaws. NCPHA-Subsection relationships shall be through the Section Chairman.

In order to continue to qualify as a section or subsection, a minimum of twenty-five (25) section or subsection members, who are members of NCPHA, must be maintained and section representatives on respected committees must be present for committee meetings. If section or subsection membership should fall below twenty-five (25) for two (2) consecutive years or representation at committee meetings are not present during these two (2) consecutive years, the section or subsection will be reviewed by the Governing Council. If it fails to meet the minimum membership requirement for the third consecutive year and representation at committee meetings are not present during the third (3) consecutive year, the section or subsection shall be dissolved.

Any project or action which would involve reference to or participation by NCPHA shall not be undertaken until it is submitted in writing to, and approved by, the Executive Committee.

Article XII

AMENDMENTS

These ByLaws may be amended by a majority vote, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been transmitted in writing to the membership with a thirty (30) days voting period.

Article XIII

PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

There shall be a parliamentarian appointed by the President to serve for the term of the President.

Article XIV

PUBLICATIONS

All publications of NPCHA shall be issued under the direction of the Governing Council and shall become the property of NCPHA.

Article XV

PROPERTY

The Executive Committee shall act as trustee for all property of NCPHA.

The Treasurer shall be the custodian of the Association's copies of all contracts, articles of incorporation, fidelity bonds, and other legal documents. These shall be kept in a NCPHA safe deposit box in a bank approved by the Governing Council. All items shall be retained to satisfy legal requirements in the State.

Article XVI

QUORUM

A quorum of the membership shall be those present at any duly called meeting of NCPHA and committees.