By-Laws of the Grant County Drug-Free Coalition



Article I: Name

The name of the organization shall be The Grant County Drug-Free Coalition, hereinafter referred to as the Coalition or at-large Coalition.

Article II: Mission

The mission of the Coalition is to improve the quality of life among Grant County youth, and over time, adults by collaboratively reducing and controlling drug use, and by supporting and promoting healthy, safe, and drug-free lifestyles.

Article III: At-large Coalition Membership

  1. Membership shall consist of citizens and organization/business representatives that have attended at least one meeting and have signed a Coalition Membership Pledge. By signing the pledge, the coalition member agrees to support the mission of the Coalition, and to take an active role in the Coalition and to support at least one of its Action Committees. Project Director(s) or designees to maintain current pledge forms on all members.
  2. All Coalition members are voting members as long as they have met the membership criteria in A.
  3. The Coalition will provide direction, guidance to the Executive Committee, Standing Committees, Action Committees, grant Project Director(s) and the Coalition Coordinators, including, but not limited to, decisions regarding funding, objectives, and goals/action plans.
  4. Membership is in no way limited or prohibited by virtue of a person's race, color, national origin or ancestry, creed, sex, age, handicap, sexual preference, or marital status.
  5. Coalition members are expected to make a good-faith effort to attend the at-large Coalition's regularly scheduled meetings.
  6. The views of the Coalition represent a consensus. They do not necessarily represent the views of all Coalition members.
  7. All members will serve without compensation from the Drug-Free Coalition.
  8. The Coalition can take no action that would hinder the implementation of the Coalition or its grants' missions and goals/objectives.
  9. The Coalition may take action to remove officers with habitual absences and/or members/officers who exhibit actions contrary to the purpose of the Coalition.

Article IV: Structure

  1. At-Large Coalition Members: See definition of Coalition membership above.
  2. Committees: The Executive Committee, standing committees, action committees and Ad Hoc committees will work to fulfill the mission and grants of the Drug-Free Coalition. All committees will keep the at-large coalition informed of their committee's activities by giving reports at the full coalition meetings and providing written minutes to the Project Director(s), Secretary, and committee members within two weeks of committee meetings.
    1. Executive Committee: The four officers of the Drug-Free Coalition will make up the Executive Committee. They will consult with the Fiscal Agent(s) and/or the Project Director(s) before making urgent Coalition decisions.
      1. The Chair, the Fiscal Agent(s), or the Project Director(s) may convene the Executive Committee to make required decisions only when the full coalition is unable to meet due to short timelines, etc. The Executive Committee may be held by teleconference or similar communications equipment, so long as all members participating in such meeting can hear one another. If any member is absolutely unavailable to meet via teleconference or other means, he/she may vote by e-mail or a fax response when time is of the essence.
      2. After consulting with the Fiscal Agent(s) and/or the Project Director(s), two days notice must be given to Executive Committee members prior to a meeting.
      3. After obtaining input from the Fiscal Agent(s) and/or Project Director(s), the Executive Committee members (four Coalition officers) may vote on the issues at hand. The Fiscal Agent(s) and the Project Director(s) may participate in the meetings for consultation purposes, but will not vote on issues. The Fiscal Agent(s) and Project Director(s) shall be notified immediately of any decisions made by the Executive Committee if they are not participating in the actual meetings.
    2. Standing Committees
      1. By-Laws Review Committee-Annually reviews by-laws and makes recommendations for change, if needed, to the Coalition, by the November coalition meeting.
      2. Nominating Committee-Recruits/establishes slate of officers that reflect diversity of the coalition and the community by the January coalition meeting.
      3. Promotions/Sustainability Committee-Provides coalition sustainability by seeking funds and managing funds that belong to the at-large coalition. In addition, this committee markets and promotes the coalition.
      4. Annual/Multi-Year Work Plan & Oversight Committee-Reviews and develops the coalition's annual/multi-year plan of work. Discusses relevant issues related to the operation of the coalition and implementation of the grants.
    3. Action Committees- annual committees to accomplish the work of coalition and the grant objectives.
      1. Action Committees are formed annually to meet specific goals and objectives of the coalition and/or its grants.
      2. Each action committee elects a chair annually.
      3. The Project Director(s) or Coordinator(s) are responsible to ensure the committees are addressing relevant coalition and grant goals and objectives. They also ensure the facilitation and distribution of the committees' minutes and agendas per Article IV-B.
    4. Ad Hoc Committees - Other committees may be established as needed with assigned duties and tasks as is required to conduct the business of the organization.
  3. Interested Partners: Partners support the Coalition with their time, verbal, and/or written endorsement, in-kind contributions, and/or direct donations. Partners are non-voting members.

Article V: Coalition Officers

  1. There will be a maximum of four (4) elected officers: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer.
    1. Chair
      1. The Chair will serve as a member of the Coalition and the Chairperson of the Coalition and perform all duties related to the office.
      2. The Chair will consult with the Drug-Free Project Director(s) on the development of the agenda and the Fiscal Agent(s) and the Project Director(s) regarding decisions to be made by the Executive Committee.
      3. Conduct the coalition and Executive Committee meetings.
      4. Assist the Project Director(s) and the Coalition Coordinators
      5. The chair has voting privileges as a Coalition and Executive Committee member.
    2. Vice-Chair
      1. The Vice-Chair will serve as a member of the Coalition, preside over meetings in the temporary absence of the Chair, and assume the duties of the Chair in the event of that person's prolonged absence, resignation, or death. Assist the Chair with duties as needed.
      2. The Vice-Chair will have voting privileges as a Coalition member and an Executive Committee member.
      3. The Vice-Chair chairs the By-Laws Review Committee.
    3. Secretary
      1. Record and maintain a record of minutes for the full Coalition meetings and sends minutes to the Project Director(s) to be distributed to members with the Coalition meeting agendas.
      2. Maintains a record of all Coalition correspondence and Coalition Committee meeting minutes and sends to Project Director(s) and others, as needed.
      3. Keeps the membership current with all contact information. Communicates with members to confirm their status and record it.
      4. Performs all duties incident to the office of Secretary, or by these By-laws, or which may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the Coalition.
      5. The Secretary will have voting privileges as a Coalition member and an Executive Committee member.
    4. Treasurer
      1. Assists Coalition with the development of a plan to raise and allocate funds for the sustainability of the Coalition.
      2. Works with the Fiscal Agent(s) and Project Director(s)/Coordinators regarding the funding of the Coalition operations.
      3. Works with the Promotions/Sustainability Action Committee and attends the committee meetings, whenever possible.
      4. Prepares/distributes Treasurer's reports at every at-large Coalition meeting.
      5. The Treasurer will have voting privileges as a Coalition member and an Executive Committee member
  2. The Coalition Membership will elect the four officers to two-year terms. Initially, the Chair and Vice Chair shall serve one-year terms, but in subsequent years, they will serve two-year terms. The Chair and Vice-Chair will serve no more than two consecutive terms in each office, but may be re-elected after a year of hiatus. The Secretary and Treasurer shall serve two-year terms and no more than two consecutive terms in each office, but may be re-elected after a year of hiatus. The Coalition membership will elect the officers to two-year terms at the annual Coalition meeting.
  3. Vacancies of the Coalition's Officers - In the event of vacancies, the Coalition will appoint an interim person at the next Coalition meeting to finish the officer's term.

Article VI. Meetings of the At-Large Coalition

  1. Coalition meetings are open to the public; however, only Coalition members may vote on items of business.
  2. A quorum will consist of Coalition members present at the at-large Coalition meetings.
  3. Regular at-large Coalition meetings shall be held monthly, or bi-monthly, if less business is at hand. Meeting location and times may vary dependent on the needs of the coalition.
  4. The "Robert's Rules of Order" shall serve as a guide to conduct the meetings.
  5. Annual meetings for election and celebration of accomplishments will be held during the February Coalition meeting.
  6. Special elections to fill vacancies will be held as needed at regularly scheduled Coalition meetings.

Article VII. Financial Operation

  1. The Coalition may accept financial support in the form of gifts, grants, donations, contracts, and in-kind contributions.
  2. The Grant County Health Department will act as Fiscal Agent of the Drug-Free Communities Grant.

Article VIII. Ratification and Amendments

These by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of the membership present at an annual or special meeting of the Coalition, provided the proposed amendments have been distributed to the full membership at least 15 days prior to that meeting.
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