Rules and Regulations

Amended and Approved on June 28, 2000. Amended September 26, 2003, April 9, 2005 and October 5, 2007.

Organization

The Elective Officers of the Society shall be as follows: President, Vice President and two additional Executive Committee members.

A. Eligibility

1. Any active or senior member in good standing shall be eligible to hold any society office provided he/she meets the other requirements set forth in the Constitution and By-Laws.

2. The nominee for President shall have been elected and served for one term as Vice President.

3. The nominee for Vice President shall be a member of ISWM who has been elected to a position at the Board or division level.

4. The nominee for Executive Committee member shall be a member of the ISWM.

B. Nominations

1. The Nominating Committee shall submit one name for President and two names for Vice President. If there is no one eligible for President, the Nominating Committee shall submit two names for President. The nominations shall be announced to the membership no later than January 1 prior to the Society Meeting.

2. Additional nominees for officers may be made from the floor of the Society Meeting, if the consent of those nominated has been obtained and presented to the President seven (7) days prior to the Society Meeting.

3. The Nominating Committee shall submit two names for additional Executive Committee member. The nominations shall be announced at a Board of Directors meeting prior to the Society Meeting during the year that a Society Conference is held. During the alternate year, the nominations shall be announced at a Board of Directors meeting prior to June 1.

C. Elections

The officers shall be elected by ballot of the delegates present at the Society Meeting. The nominee receiving the highest number of votes cast for the respective offices shall be declared elected. If the vote is a tie, a second vote will be taken. If the second vote is a tie, the person having the longest membership in the Society shall be declared elected. If both persons have the same length of membership, the toss of a coin will decide the election.

Division Organization

Division Officers Eligibility

To be eligible to be elected to the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor, a member must have had continuous membership for not less than two (2) years. Division

The size and extent of each Division shall be reviewed by the Board of Directors in order that a proper balance may be maintained with reference to geographical size as well as to the numbers of Divisions and members within each Division.

Election of Division

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

The Division will elect a Governor and Lieutenant Governor to serve for a two (2) year term. This Election will be held at least thirty (30) days prior to the Society Meeting during the year that a Society Conference is held. During the alternate year, the Election will be held prior to June 1. Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the even-numbered Divisions will be elected in even-numbered years; Governors and Lieutenant Governors of the odd-numbered Divisions will be elected in odd-numbered years.

Term of Office

The Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary-Treasurer and Sergeant-at-Arms will take office at the end of the Division Meeting at which they were elected.

Meetings

The Chairperson shall preside at and shall work with the Division Governor to coordinate the planning of division meetings.

Qualifications for Division

To gain and maintain active Division status in the Society, the following qualifications shall be required.

A. Ten (10) eligible and qualified members shall be on the roll.

B. A minimum of one meeting shall be held each year.

C. A Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Secretary-Treasurer and Sergeant-at- Arms shall be elected each year from its own membership.

D. The Division shall conduct itself in all respects in conformity with the Constitution and By-Laws of this Society.

E. The Division shall meet its financial responsibilities.

F. The Division shall file an annual report to the Society Office regarding their financial status.

Rights of the Division

A. The Divisions have the right to meet to run their own affairs.

B. The Divisions have the right to be represented in society affairs through their own official delegates to the Society Meeting and through their election of a Division Governor on the Board of Directors.

Approval of Divisions

Upon written application of ten (10) or more persons, addressed to the Society through the Executive Director, and approval thereof by the Board of Directors of the Society, the signers of such application shall be recognized and shall constitute a Division of the Society, and shall receive an appropriate certificate over the signature of the President and Executive Director.

The application shall state the proposed name of the Division, that area or the portion of the membership it will serve, and the name of the city or locality in which it is to be formed. The signers of the application shall be members in good standing of this Society or persons eligible for such membership. The permanent mailing address of each signer shall be shown. The above mentioned application shall be accompanied by a formal application for membership in this Society and the regular membership fee from each signer who is not already a member of the Society.

Each Division shall conduct itself in all respects in conformity with the Constitution and By-Laws of this Society.

It will be the responsibility of each local Division to defray its own expenses incident to its operations.

Chapter Organization

Chapter organizations may be added to augment or supplement the program of the Society at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

Fees and Dues

A new member joining the Society between October 1 and December 31 will be considered as paid for the year in which he/she joins and for the following full year.

If an initiation fee for new members is applicable, it is to be retained by the society. The annual dues, or membership fee, is to be divided between the Divisions and the society as approved by the Board of Directors.

After obtaining a primary membership in the Society, any member may obtain associate membership in any other division by paying a $15.00 associate membership fee, for each associate membership, which will be split between the society and the local division.

Any monies due a local Division shall be forwarded to that Division by the Executive Director during December of each year. Failure to comply with the Rules and Regulations of the Society with regard to reporting to the Society on Financial Status, will require the Executive Director to withhold monies due to a local Division until such reports are received.

The Executive Director shall bill each member for annual dues The annual dues for membership shall be forwarded by each member to the current mailing address of the society office as indicated on the official statement or stationery.

The Executive Director shall provide the local Division Secretary-Treasurer or other division officer with a report on Division membership semiannually.

Any member who may be in arrears for dues shall be notified in writing by the Executive Director or an officer of the local Division with which he/she is affiliated and the member shall be considered delinquent and suspended if dues are not paid sixty (60) days after billing.

Meetings of the Association

Society Conference

Each year the Board of Directors shall arrange for a biannual society conference. The time and place shall be selected by the Board of Directors. They shall be guided in their selection by invitations from sponsoring Divisions and by a vote of the members present at a preceding regular Society Meeting.

The Conference shall include technical papers, discussions, displays, entertainment, etc., at the discretion of the Board of Directors, but shall always include the Society Meeting of the Members.

Meeting of Members

The Society Meeting

The Society Meeting of Members shall be held at the biannual Society Conference. The agenda for this meeting shall include the election of society officers, reports from the Divisions, minutes of the previous Society Meeting of Members, financial report of the Society, report of membership, and other items pertinent to the Society.

Voting

Delegates to an Society Meeting or Special Meeting shall be the official representatives from their respective Divisions, each Division being entitled to one voting delegate for each five (5) members in good standing, or fraction thereof, on record in the society office thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

The Division Chairperson shall appoint a Chief Delegate and as many other delegates as the Division is entitled to in accordance with Paragraph 1 of this section. The name of the Chief Delegate shall be submitted to the Executive Director of the Association at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the meeting. It shall be the responsibility of the Chief Delegate to poll the delegates from his/her Division and report all votes for his/her division. The Chief Delegate shall have the authority to cast ballots for any delegates from his/her Division not present. In the event the Chief Delegate is not in attendance, the Division delegates shall caucus and select another Chief Delegate prior to voting at the meeting.

Divisions not meeting their qualifications as outlined previously, are subject to loss of voting rights through delegate ballot, per the Board of Directors discretion.

Special Meetings

The President, or in his/her inability to act, the Vice President, at the request of not less than three (3) members of the Board of Directors, may call a Special Meeting of the Society at any time. The President shall call such a meeting upon application in writing of at least ten percent (10%) of the membership of the Society. Any such request shall set forth the reason for the call and the business to be brought before the meeting. Immediately upon receipt of such request and the calling of a Special Meeting, all Board members shall be notified by certified letter by the Executive Director, the letter to include all information pertinent to the meeting. The membership shall be so advised by letter. The meeting date of the Special Meeting shall be not less than thirty (30) days after the mailing of such notices. At such Special Meeting no proposition shall be entertained or business transacted except such as related to that mentioned in such notices.

Quorum

At a Society Meeting or Special Meeting of the Society, a simple majority of the voting members present shall constitute a quorum.

The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution and By-Laws or the Rules and Regulations of the Society.

Use of the Association Insignia

The insignia of the Society may be used or displayed in advertising media, on cars, trucks or aircraft, on statements, invoices, business cards, or decals only by members of this Society in good standing.

Society Committees

The President shall appoint, with the approval of the Board of Directors, Chairpersons and members of Society committees as indicated unless otherwise stated herein. The President will be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Awards Committees and the Nominating Committee.

Awards Committees

These Committees shall be composed of members as specified in the Membership Directory.

Conference Committee

The Executive Committee shall appoint a chairperson and additional members, as necessary. This Committee shall arrange and be responsible to the Board of Directors for the Society Conference. This Committee, with the approval of the President and Board of Directors shall appoint any other committees as they deem necessary for the success of the Conference. Any committee Chairpersons appointed become a member of the Conference Committee. In the event that the Governor of the hosting division is not available the President will appoint a Conference Chairperson with an attempt to draw on members from the hosting division.

Constitution Committee

The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint the Chairperson and two or more members. This committee shall review all suggested changes to the Constitution and By-Laws and make recommendations regarding such proposals to the Board of Directors. The committee may initiate and recommend changes in the Constitution and By-Laws to the Board of Directors.

Credentials Committee

The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint the Chairperson of this Committee. The Chairperson shall select the members as required. This committee shall certify the delegates to the Society Meeting, assist in the election of officers and count all votes at the Society Meeting.

Mack Rapp Education Fund Committee

This committee shall be comprised of the three Association members who serve on the Mack Rapp Education Fund Committee. This committee shall assist the Chairperson of the Mack Rapp Education Fund Committee in calling meetings, distributing scholarships and supervising the fund.

Membership Development Committee

The President, with approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a Chairperson of this Committee. The Chairperson shall select the members as required. This committee will provide assistance to the Divisions towards increasing their membership. They shall also be responsible for organizing new Divisions when the opportunity arises.

Certification Committee

The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, shall appoint a Chairperson of this Committee. The Chairperson shall select the members as required. It shall review and develop tests for the Certified Weighing Technician, Certified Weighing Salesperson and Certified Weighing Professional. It shall also review the scoring analysis to maintain the quality of the Certification program.

Order of Business at the Society Meeting

The order of business at the society meeting will be:

A. Call to order and invocation

B. Reading and approval of minutes of last society meeting

C. Financial Report

D. Election of Officers

1. Report of Credentials Committee
2. Certification of Chief Delegates
3. Report of Nominating Committee
4. Nominations from the floor
5. Distribution and collection of ballots

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