Bylaws of the Southeast Branch, Wisconsin Section American Society of Civil Engineers
(Adopted September 16, 1977)
(Revised October 15, 1987)
Article I Name and Objective
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Southeast Branch,
Wisconsin Section, American Society of Civil Engineers.
Section 2. The objective of the Southeast Branch shall be the advancement
of the science and profession of civil engineering, in a manner consistent with the
objective of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Article II Area and Membership
Section 1. The area of the Southeast Branch shall be the counties of
Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha in the State of
Wisconsin.
Section 2. All members of the American Society of Civil Engineers of all
grades, who subscribe to the Bylaws of the Southeast Branch and who have paid the current
dues of the Section and Branch, and who are resident of the Branch area, shall be
subscribing members of the Branch. All other members of the American Society of Civil
Engineers of all grades, whose addresses are within the boundaries of the Branch as
defined by the Society, shall be Assigned Members of the Branch.
Article III Dues and Finances
Section 1. The Branch activities shall be financed by Branch annual dues
and an annual allocation of monies from the Section based on a budget proposed by the
Branch and approved by the Section.
Section 2. There shall be no entrance fee.
Section 3. The Branch annual dues of each member shall be established by
the Branch Board.
Section 4. Members exempt from payment of dues in the Society shall be
exempt from payment of Branch dues. Such exempt members shall be subscribing members.
Article IV Officers and Governing Body
Section 1. The officers of this Branch shall be a president, a
president-elect, a secretary, and a treasurer.
(a) The governing body of the Branch shall be a Board of
Directors consisting of the officers, the latest resident past-president of the Branch,
and no more than three directors—one of whom shall be an associate member under 31
years of age at the time of his election.
(b) The latest resident past-president of the Branch shall be
the Branch Director on the Wisconsin Section Board of Directors. In the event of his
absence, the Branch President may represent the Branch Director at Section Board Meetings.
Section 2. The terms of office for each officer shall be 1 year, which
terms shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting.
Section 3. The term of the President shall be 1 year. The President-Elect
shall succeed to the office of President at the close of the Annual Meeting.
Section 4. No member shall serve in the same elective office for more
than three (3) consecutive terms.
Section 5. Only subscribing members of the Branch shall be eligible for
election to office.
Section 6. The duties of the officers shall be those usual for such
officers.
Section 7. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the
President-Elect. Other vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by appointment by
the Board of Directors.
Section 8. At meetings of the Board of Directors, four (4) members shall
constitute a quorum.
Article V Nomination and Election of Officers
Section 1. By November 1st of each year, the President shall
appoint/subject to confirmation of the Board of Directors, a nominating committee of not
less than three (3) subscribing members.
Section 2. By January 1st of each year, the nominating committee shall
choose one or more candidates for election to each office, except the office of the
President, and for the Directors and obtain the consent of each nominee to serve if
elected.
Section 3. The Secretary shall send a letter ballot, containing the list
of official nominees and a space for a write-in vote for another candidate for each
office, to each subscribing member of the Branch on or before the 15th day of May of each
year.
Section 4. Ballots returned to the Secretary by the last day of June of
each year shall be opened and counted by three tellers appointed by the President. For
each office, the candidate receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be declared
elected.
Section 5. All business meetings of the Branch Board of Directors shall
be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, revised, except as provided in these bylaws.
Article VI Meetings
Section 1. The Annual Meeting shall be held on such a date in September
and at a place as the Board of Directors designate. Other meetings shall be called at the
discretion of the Board of Directors; or by the President upon written request of at least
10 subscribing members.
Section 2. In addition to the Annual Meeting, at least three (3) other
meetings shall be held each year at regular intervals.
Section 3. At all meetings, twenty (20) subscribing members shall
constitute a quorum.
Section 4. Notice of call for a Branch meeting shall be mailed to all
subscribing members of the Branch not less than seven (7) days in advance of the meeting
date.
Section 5. All business meetings of the Branch and of the Branch Board of
Directors shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order, revised, except as provided in
these bylaws.
Article VII Committees
Section 1. The President each year shall appoint the following
committees: Program, Membership, Arrangements, and Public Information.
Section 2. The President shall appoint such other committees as are from
time to time deemed necessary.
Article VIII Amendments
Section 1. Bylaws may be adopted or amended only by the following
procedure:
(a) The proposed Bylaw or amendment shall receive an
affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the subscribing members voting.
(b) To become effective, it shall receive the approval of the
Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Section.
Article IX Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. No part of the net earnings of the Branch shall inure to the
benefit of any private shareholder or individual and no substantial part of the activities
of the Branch shall be carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence
legislation and the Branch shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the
publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any
candidate for public office.
Section 2. Upon dissolution of the Branch, the assets remaining after the
payment of the debts of the Branch shall be distributed to such corporation, community
chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable,
scientific, testing for public safety, literary or educational purposes, or for the
prevention of cruelty to children or animals, which would qualify under the provisions of
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as they now exist or as they may be
amended, as the Board of Directors shall have designated and in the absence of such
designation they shall be conveyed to the American Society of Civil Engineers.
