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BY- LAWS

Soil and Water Conservation Society- Colorado Chapter 

ARTICLE I- Name

Section 1. The name of this Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society shall be the Colorado Chapter.

ARTICLE II. – Area

Section 1. The headquarters of the Chapter shall be the address designated by the Executive Council.

Section 2.  The Chapter will include all of the State of Colorado.

ARTICLE III- Objectives

Section 1.  The objectives of this Chapter shall be the same as set forth in the by-laws of the Soil and Water Conservation Society, namely,  to foster the science and art of natural resource conservation by carrying out activities and programs in professional development, conservation science, education, and public affairs.

ARTICLE IV – Membership

Section 1.  Eligibility for membership in the Colorado Chapter shall conform in all respects to the eligibility rules and regulations prescribed in the by-laws of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Section 2.  Membership in the Soil and Water Conservation Society is mandatory to membership in the Colorado Chapter.

Section 3.  Colorado Chapter will support and/or sponsor a student chapter (s), if such chapter (s) be formed providing student chapter objectives similar to Colorado Chapter objectives, (Article III).

Section 4.  A candidate for student membership must be enrolled in an accredited college in which a Student Chapter has been organized.

ARTICLE V – Termination of Membership

Section 1.  Membership will be terminated upon cessation of membership in the parent Society, upon failure to pay Chapter dues that are delinquent, upon transfer to another Chapter, or upon voluntary resignation.

ARTICLE VI – Chapter Officers

Section 1.  Chapter officers shall be a President, a President-Elect, a Secretary-Treasurer, or a Secretary and a Treasurer, three Directors; one from the East Slope, one from the West Slope, and one At-Large, and the immediate Past President.  If the immediate Past President is not available, a Director At-Large will be elected or appointed by the Executive Council from the membership at large.  All officers shall be members of the Chapter.  The officers and Directors forming an Executive Council, as specified in Article XI shall be the governing body of the Chapter.

Section 2.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter, the Board and shall appoint all committees and shall perform all other duties incident to his or her office.  In the absence of the President, the President-Elect shall perform the duties of the President.

Section 3.  The Secretary –Treasurer - shall keep accurate records of the meetings of the Board of Directors, ensure that all correspondence is carried out as directed and ensure that accurate financial accounts are maintained. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also submit to the membership at the annual meeting a financial report of the Chapter.    In the event that a Secretary and a Treasurer are elected, each individual as appropriate will assume the responsibilities.

Section 4.  The President-Elect shall automatically become President at the end of the President’s term unless they are known to be incapacitated or shall notify the Executive Council in writing that they are unavailable.  If unavailable, the Executive Council shall appoint a President-Elect, provide for special election, or delay election until time for regular election.

Section 5.  The Directors shall represent the interests of all members of the Chapter, within each  area.   They represent public policy, advocacy, natural resource knowledge, and maintains contact with federal, state, and provincial agencies, other societies, environmental, agricultural, conservation and other groups

ARTICLE VII- Elections

Section 1.  The President Elect will be elected annually to serve on the board through their three offices.  The Secretary-Treasurer or Secretary and Treasurer and the At-Large Director will be elected in the odd years with two year terms, and the East and West Slope Directors will be elected in the even years with two year terms.  Officers will be elected from the membership and shall perform the duties of their respective offices until their successors shall qualify.  No member shall be elected to the same office for more than two successive terms.

Section 2.  Two or more candidates for each Chapter office shall be nominated by an election committee, except that nomination for an office may also be submitted by written petition, signed by not less than twenty (20) members in good standing.

Section 3.  Before any candidate is nominated it shall first be ascertained that the person is willing to serve.  Nominations shall be made no later than September 15 of each year and the nominations submitted to the entire membership no later than October 15 of each year for vote.  Voting shall be by written or e-mail ballot supplied to each eligible member.

Section 4.  Members elected to office will assume their respective duties at the annual meeting.

ARTICLE VIII – Committees

Section 1.  The three Directors shall serve as core members of the program Committee for Chapter meetings.

Section 2.  A membership committee shall be appointed by the executive Council for the purpose of stimulating interest in the Chapter; securing new memberships, and encouraging members to continue active participation in the Chapter.

Section 3.  A nomination committee of three or more members shall be appointed by the Executive Council for a sufficient period to select nominees and supervise the election.

Section 4.  Other committees may be appointed by the President or Executive Council.

ARTICLE IX – Meetings

Section 1.  The Chapter shall hold at least one meeting (known as the Annual Meeting each year.)  This Annual Meeting will be held between October 1 and December 1.  This meeting shall provide opportunity to conduct the normal business of the Chapter.   Other meetings shall be called at the discretion of the Executive Council.

ARTICLE X – Dues and Funds

Section 1.  The Chapter dues are included in dues paid to the parent Society.

Section 2.  Membership in arrears by at least 3 months shall be declared delinquent, and shall forfeit, from that date until their dues are paid, the right to vote or to be elected to office.

Section 3.  The fiscal year of the Chapter shall be the calendar year, January1 through December 31.

Section 4. The Treasurer’s books shall be audited at the close of each fiscal year or just prior to change of office by a committee appointed by the President.  Other audits shall be made at each such time as the Chapter officers may direct.

ARTICLE XI – Executive Council

Section 1.  The Executive Council shall consist of the President, President Elect, Secretary-Treasurer, or Secretary and a Treasurer, three Directors and the immediate Past President.

Section 2.  The Executive Council is the legal representative of the Chapter and as such shall have, hold and administer all funds and property of the Chapter.

Section 3.  Vacancies in offices occurring between elections shall be filled by the Executive Council.

Section 4.  The Executive Council shall have the power to act on matters that arise between the annual meetings or regularly scheduled meetings and which are not specifically and otherwise provided for in the by-laws.

ARTICLE XII – Status and Dissolution

Section 1.  The Colorado Chapter is a non-profit organization without capital stock, dedicated to the furtherance of resource conservation for the benefit of the general public and not for monetary profit or gain of any member.

Section 2.  The case of dissolution of this Chapter, the moneys and assets will be given to the Chapter or Chapter succeeding the Colorado Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society.  In case no such Chapter is organized, or is in the process of being organized, said moneys and assets are to become property of the parent Society, The Soil and Water Conservation Society Incorporated, a non profit organization headquartered in Ankeny, Iowa.

In case the aforementioned Chapter, Chapters or Society are not organized to accept these moneys and assets, they are to be given to the Colorado State University Development fund to be used for scholarships in soil, water and other natural resource conservation fields.

ARTICLE XIII – Amendments

Section 1.  The by laws may be amended by approval of the Executive Council, and by two-thirds of the membership voting, provided the proposed amendments have been submitted to all eligible members at least 30 days in advance of the date set by the Executive Council for counting the ballots.  An amendment shall, unless otherwise provided therein, be effective immediately upon its adoption.

ARTICLE XIV – Miscellaneous

Section 1. Awards.  The Chapter may from time to time at the direction of the Executive Council offer Scholarships, medals, or other awards in recognition of outstanding work or ability in the field or soil, water and other natural resource conservation.

By-laws amended by unanimous vote of voting members.