1.1   The name of this organization shall be the Palm Beach County                School District Staff Association (hereinafter referred to as the                  “Association”).

The purposes of the Association are to:

• Promote and preserve District and Regional Office staff administrative practices for the public schools of Palm Beach County.

• Promote the welfare and protect the rights of its members.

• Foster high standards of professional conduct.

• Act as liaison to the School Board, Superintendent, and legislature in such matters as wages, hours, and terms/conditions of employment.

• Advise and assist members in addressing and resolving professional concerns while protecting a member’s right to privacy and maintaining confidentiality.

• Promote and stimulate the professional growth of its members in order to impact the educational system in a positive manner.

• Promote cooperation with other groups/associations which have similar interests.

• Maintain a not-for-profit professional staff association recognized under the Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)3.

All personnel who are employed by the School District of Palm Beach County in positions below those of Regional Superintendent and who are not eligible for membership in any other recognized group/association, including all groups eligible for membership under Florida Statute, Chapter 447, shall be eligible for membership in the Association. A member in good standing shall be defined as a current dues paying member.

All Association members shall be grouped in two (2) categories:

• Administrative
• Non-Administrative 

• The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Past President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

• Officers shall be elected from the membership of the Association by ballot of members in good standing. Officers serve for a term of two (2) years.

• A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors at a Board of Directors’ meeting. 

• Officers shall be elected via electronic ballot during the Spring of an election year with a communication to all Staff Association members. Officers will take office effective July 1 and shall hold office until June 30 of the final year of office.

• A vacancy in any office shall be filled by a majority vote of the Board of Directors to complete the remainder of the term.

• There shall be one (1) Association meeting held annually. Nothing precludes the Board from holding additional meetings if they so desire.
• Officers of the Association may be removed from office by a majority vote of the Board for reasons of unacceptable absences or other good cause.

• The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and shall be a member ex-officio of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

• The Vice President shall assist the President and shall perform the duties of the President in his/her absence, and shall perform other duties as may be delegated by the President.

• The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all Board of Directors’ and general meetings of the Association and shall distribute meeting correspondence and other related Association information as deemed appropriate. The Secretary shall be the custodian of Association documents.  The Secretary shall also be responsible for maintaining an up-to-date listing of the membership. The membership list shall be available to the Board and the Consultant upon request. The total number of members should be reported at the monthly meeting of the Board. In the absence of the Secretary, the Chair shall appoint an Acting Secretary.

• The Treasurer shall receive all monies of the Association to be deposited in a bank account in the name of the Association. The Treasurer shall pay all bills authorized by the Board of Directors.  All disbursement checks issued by the Association shall have two (2) Board of Director signatures for dual control. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for submitting appropriate requests to Payroll and the Secretary to adjust the membership list.

• The Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen (13) members as follows: Six (6) Representatives of the Administrative Division; six (6) Representatives of the Non-Administrative Division elected by the Association and the immediate Past President of the Association, if available to serve.

• The members of the Board of Directors shall serve a two-year term.

• The Board of Directors shall have full charge of the property and business of the Association with full power and authority to manage and conduct the same as to be deemed necessary in the best interest of the Association and in accordance with Federal and State Statutes.

• Should a vacancy occur on the Board of Directors, the Board members shall appoint a new Board Member to complete the unexpired term.

• The fiscal year for the Association will begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the subsequent year.

• Dues will be reviewed annually and recommendations made to the membership by the Board of Directors at an Association meeting.

• New Association members shall submit a membership form electronically to the Association Treasurer. Association benefits shall commence upon the date the application is received by the Treasurer. Incidents or issues occurring prior to this date are not eligible for representation.

• If an Association member opts to terminate membership, the member shall submit a written request for such to the Association Treasurer. Association payroll deductions, representation, and benefits shall cease one (1) payroll period following the date the request was received, not the date that the member’s employment status changed.

The Association Board shall select and employ a Consultant on behalf of the Association. The Consultant shall serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors on an annual or multi-year contract. The contract shall include specific information covering duties, contractual obligations, and compensation. The contract shall be negotiated by the Board of Directors of the Association.

• The Board of Directors shall meet monthly, unless otherwise changed by the Board. The President, with the advice of the Board, shall determine the time and place of general meetings. Such times and locations shall be announced no less than seven (7) days nor more than thirty (30) days prior to such meetings, to each member of record, to the member’s address (or email address) as it appears in membership records.

• Association meetings may be called by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors.

• An agenda listing major items of business shall be given to each member at the beginning of each general Association meeting and at each monthly meeting of the Board.

The rules contained in the current edition of “Robert's Rules of Order”, shall govern the Association in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not consistent with these By-Laws. The Past President shall serve as parliamentarian on behalf of the Association.

• A simple majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

• Those members present at the general meetings shall constitute a quorum.

• Requests for amendments to the By-Laws can be made at any meeting. Such requests must first be placed in writing and submitted to the President at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting. Any requests will be discussed and, upon majority vote, will be presented at the next scheduled general meeting for adoption.

• The By-Laws may be amended at any general meeting of the Association by a simple majority vote of the members present and voting. Written notice of the proposed amendment shall be sent to all members by the Secretary at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting.

• The President, with the approval of the Board of Directors, may establish Committees, as needed.

• Since a Committee is created and appointed for a specific purpose, it automatically shall cease to exist when its work is completed and its final report is received by the Board of Directors.