United Senior Action of Indiana Bylaws

 

Article I – Name

The name of this organization shall be United Senior Action of Indiana.

Article II – Purpose

United Senior Action of Indiana is founded to unite senior citizens’ groups and individual senior citizens to promote improvement in the quality of life for older Hoosiers.

Our specific purposes shall include:

  • To promote the recognition and rights of senior citizens.
  • To represent senior citizens in the formulation of public policy.
  • To promote the economic welfare of senior citizens.
  • To encourage the participation of senior citizens in our state and our local communities.
  • To engage in other activities that promote the social welfare of older Hoosiers and of the State of Indiana.

 

United Senior Action of Indiana is not organized or operated for profit.

Article III – Membership and Dues

    • Any senior citizen group of (10) or more members, formal or informal, and any organization composed predominantly of senior citizens with (10) or more senior citizen members, is eligible for group membership in United Senior Action of Indiana with the exception of partisan political organizations which are not permitted to become Member Groups of United Senior Action of Indiana. The State Executive Board shall have final authority to act on applications for Group Membership.
    • Annual Group Membership Dues shall be based on the number of individuals belonging to that group. Said dues shall be set by the State Executive Board. All groups who are official USA Member Groups on or before November 3, 2007 will be exempt from annual dues.
    • Individual membership in United Senior Action of Indiana is open to all citizens of Indiana. There shall be two classes of individual membership: Affiliate and Independent.
    • Affiliate Membership is open to persons who belong to a Member Group of United Senior Action of Indiana and who enroll through their Member Group. Annual dues for Affiliate Membership shall be $8.00 single and $10.00 couple.
    • Independent Membership is open to persons who do not enroll through a Member Group. Annual dues for Independent Membership shall be $15.00 single and $20.00 couple.
    • Special rates for membership drives may be established by the State Executive Board.
    • Lifetime Memberships are available for one-time dues of $180.00 single, $240.00 couple.
    • Individual Membership dues may be waived under certain hardship cases.

Article IV – State Executive Board

    • Powers, Duties and Quorum
      • The State Executive Board shall be the governing body for United Senior Action of Indiana between State Convention
      • The powers, affairs, and property of the corporation shall be vested in, exercised, conducted, and managed by the State Executive Board, except as otherwise provided by law or in the Articles of Incorporation or as specifically delegated to an executive committee, officers, or any committee of State Executive Board by these By-Laws or by any resolution adopted by a majority of the whole State Executive Board.
      • The State Executive Board shall adopt an annual operating budget, and take other actions as may contribute to the successful operation of United Senior Action of Indiana.
      • An attendance of one-third (33%) of the State Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum.
    • Number and Terms of Office

4.2.1 The State Executive Board shall consist of fifteen (15) members called directors.

Directors shall be nominated as set forth in Article 8.2 and elected as set forth in Article

7.6 . Officers shall be elected from the fifteen (15) directors as set forth in Articles 5.1

and 7.6.

 

4.2.2 Directors shall server for terms of three years or until their successors have been chosen

and qualified. The terms of the directors shall be staggered in such a manner that one-

third of the directors shall be elected at each annual State Convention.

    • Removal of Directors
      • A director may be removed for cause at the annual State Convention or a special meeting of the State Executive Board called for such purpose, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the directors present in person at such meeting provided that notice of intention to consider the matter of such removal shall have been given to each member of the State Executive Board not less than ten (10) days prior to such meeting. The cause for such removal shall be specified in a duly-appointed resolutio
    • Vacancies
      • Any vacancy occurring on the State Executive Board by reason of death, resignation, removal, disqualification, increase in the number of directors or otherwise shall be filled by affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining members of the State Executive Board at any regular or special meeting called for such purpose.
    • Place and Number of Meetings
      • The State Executive Board shall meet at least quarterly at times and places it shall establish. Seven (7) days notice of each meeting shall be provided to all members.
      • United Senior Action members in good standing may attend meetings of the Executive Board but shall not be entitled to a vote. Said members shall not speak at meetings of the State Executive Board without approval of a majority of State Executive Board members in attendance.
      • The State Executive Board may restrict attendance at State Executive Board meetings with a majority vote of the State Executive Board members in attendance.

Article V – Officers

    • Positions
      • The officers of United Senior Action of Indiana shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer. No two offices may be held simultaneously by any one person.
    • Election and Terms of Office
      • The members of United Senior Action of Indiana shall elect the officers at the Annual State Convention.
      • The officers shall be elected to two-year terms. The President and Vice President shall be elected in even-numbered years. The Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer shall be elected in odd-numbered years.
    • Duties
      • The President shall be the chief executive officer and spokesperson for United Senior Action of Indiana, and shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with these Bylaws that may be assigned from time to time by the State Executive Board. He or she shall preside over all meetings of the State Executive Board and the State Executive Committee. He or she shall appoint the chairperson(s) of committee(s) and task forces. The President shall request an independent auditor to conduct an audit whenever it is necessary.
      • The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President during his or her absence, resignation or removal.
      • The Secretary shall have the general powers and duties usually vested in the office of Secretary of a corporation and shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with these Bylaws as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the State Executive Board or the President. The Secretary shall record the minutes of all State Executive Board and State Executive Committee meetings. The Secretary shall maintain all official records and files of United Senior Action of Indiana. These records and files must be made available upon the request of any member of the State Executive Board. The Secretary shall provide proper notice in accordance with these Bylaws and shall ensure that proper lists of members are maintained in accordance with these Bylaws.
      • The Treasurer shall have the general powers and duties usually vested in the office of Treasurer of a corporation and shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with these Bylaws as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the State Executive Board or the President. The Treasurer shall enter or cause to be entered regularly in the corporation’s financial books a complete and correct account of all monies received and disbursed by the corporation. The Treasurer shall reconcile all financial accounts on a monthly basis. A written account of receipts and disbursements, including but not limited to, a balance sheet and profit and loss statement, shall be submitted at each regular meeting of the State Executive Board and at the annual State Convention.
      • The Assistant Secretary shall perform all duties of the Secretary in the Secretary’s absence, removal, or resignation. The Assistant Secretary shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with these Bylaws as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the State Executive Board or the President.
      • The Assistant Treasurer shall perform all duties of the Treasurer in the Treasurer’s absence, removal, or resignation. The Assistant Treasurer shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with these Bylaws as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the State Executive Board or the President.

Article VI – State Executive Committee

 

    • Members
      • State Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
    • Duties
      • The State Executive Committee shall make recommendations to the State Executive Board as it sees fit, shall make operational and personnel decisions, and shall take necessary actions on behalf of United Senior Action of Indiana between State Executive Board meetings subject to the approval of the State Executive Board.
    • Meetings and Quorum
      • The State Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President. Participation of the seventy-five percent (75%) of its members shall constitute a quorum.

Article VII - State Convention

    • The State Convention shall be the ruling body for United Senior Action of Indiana.
    • A State Convention shall be held annually in the last calendar quarter, the date and location to be set by the State Executive Board.
    • A special State Convention must be called upon request of one-third (1/3) of the members of United Senior Action of Indiana or by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the State Executive Board.
    • The Convention shall consist of delegates duly designated as follows:
  • The Convention shall consist of delegates who are paid individual members in good standing as of the day of the Annual Convention either Affiliate and/ or Independent Members.
  • Only Individual Members who have their dues paid up as of the day of the Convention shall have the right to vote or run for an office in the United Senior Action of Indiana.
    • The State Convention shall adopt resolutions establishing goals and policies for United Senior Action of Indiana, and take up such other business as may properly come before it.
    • The State Convention shall elect the officers of United Senior Action of Indiana.
    • The State Convention shall adopt Rules Of The Day.

Article VIII – Audit, Nominating and Regional Steering Committees


8.1 Audit Committee

8.1.1 The Audit Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of at least three (3) persons, including one person designated as Chair. The Audit Committee shall conduct an audit annually. Additional audits may be conducted at the request of the State Executive Board. The Audit Committee Chair shall report to the State Convention.

8.2 Nominating Committee

8.2.1 The State Executive Board shall appoint at least three (3) persons to serve as members of the Nominating Committee, including one person designated as Chair. The Nominating Committee shall meet throughout the year. The Nominating Committee Chair shall report on the committee’s work and make recommendations to the State Executive Committee. The Nominating committee Chair shall present the slate of officers at the annual State Convention. Between State Conventions, the Nominating Committee shall report to the State Executive Board regarding recommendations of any persons to fill any vacant director or officer positions on the State Executive Board.

8.3 Regional Steering Committees

8.3.1 A group of at least five (5) members of United Senior Action of Indiana who are committed to developing and implementing strategies to further USA’s priorities in a geographic locale where no current USA Regional Steering Committee exists may request designation as a USA Regional Steering Committee. The President shall have final authority regarding such requests. The State Executive Board may revoke the designation of a Regional Steering Committee for violation of United Senior Action Bylaws or policies.

Article IX – Amendment

9.1 These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Delegates present and voting at the State Convention.

Article X – Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised

10.1 Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the authority to decide all questions of order not covered by these Bylaws or by Rules of the Day duly adopted by the State Convention.