Constitution and Bylaws

Mission Statement

"An organization of retirees of the Water Resources Discipline of the U. S. Geological Survey whose purpose is to keep its members in touch with each other and their former agency."

Constitution

Membership ApplicationCHARTER

ARTICLE 1. NAME

This organization shall be called the WRD Retirees of the U. S. Geological Survey.

ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE

The purpose of this nonprofit organization is to assist its members to keep in touch with one another and with the activities and personnel of the Geological Survey, particularly its Water Resources Discipline.

Bylaws

BYLAW 1. MEMBERSHIP

Section I. Members of "WRD Retirees" shall be composed of those retired applicants who have served with the Water Resources Discipline, or other units of the U.S. Geological Survey. Members may vote and hold office in the organization.

Section 2. Affiliate members of "WRD Retirees" shall be composed of applicants from the following categories:
(a) active personnel of the USGS,
(b) retirees of the Department of the Interior and its other bureaus,
(c) retirees of Federal, State, or local organizations who have had long association with, and desire to remain in contact with, our membership, or
(d) other retired persons allied with USGS by professional background or activities.

Section 3. Surviving spouses of members or affiliate members shall upon request or on the basis of known interest continue to enjoy the privileges of affiliate membership and shall be listed among the members in subsequent directories. Expression of continued interest may be solicited by the Board of Management from time to time in order to manage the organizational roles prudently.

BYLAW II. DUES

Section I. Annual dues, payable at the beginning of each year by both members and affiliates, shall be set by the Board of Management at a level sufficient to demy the cost of preparing and mailing the Newsletter and other communications, and to pay other necessary incidental expenses. Contributions in excess of dues are welcome. The payment of dues by surviving spouses shall be waived.

Section 2. Members or affiliates whose dues have not been paid by the fourteenth month following the end of a dues year despite requests for such, will be assumed no longer to be interested and will be removed from the rolls by the Board of Management unless there is evidence that health or other mitigating circumstances are a factor.

BYLAW III. OFFICERS, DlRECTORS, AND BOARDS

Section I. There shall be five elected National Officers consisting of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Archivist; and four elected Regional Directors, each representing a geographical region similar to that used by the Water Resources Division during 1996. The elected officers and the Newsletter Editor shall constitute the Board of Management. Each Regional Director shall appoint a Regional Editor or shall serve as Regional Editor. The Newsletter Editor shall be appointed by the President in consultation with the Board of Management. The term of office of the Newsletter Editor and Regional Editors shall be two years; however, each may be reappointed by successor Presidents and Regional Directors. The Newsletter Editor and the Regional Editors shall constitute an Editorial Board, chaired by the Newsletter Editor, whose purpose shall be to implement Newsletter policies and practices leading to optimal quality, accuracy, balance, and content of the Newsletter. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for the final content and composition, and for reproducing and distributing the Newsletter.

Section 2. National Officers and Regional Directors shall be chosen from the membership to serve for a period of 2 calendar years. Any vacancy occurring shall be filled by the Board until the next election. Except for the Secretary, Treasurer, and Archivist, who can serve for an unlimited number of terms, members of the Board of Management elected for a full term shall not be eligible for reelection for 2 years after the close of such term. The Regional Directors may, if reelected, serve a second consecutive two-year term.

Section 3. The President shall preside at meetings of the organization, chair the Board of Management, sign all written contracts and obligations of the organization requiring endorsement, and perform such duties as the Board may assign. The Vice President, or if unavailable, the Secretary, shall discharge the duties of the President during the absence or disability of the latter or during a vacancy in that office.

Section 4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings of the organization and of the Board of Management, notify the members of their election, conduct appropriate correspondence and keep membership records and other organizational files, all of which shall be open to inspection by members at all reasonable times.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive and bank all collected funds and, in consultation with other Board members when appropriate, make or order all disbursements, reporting annually, or more often if required by the Board, on the state of the funds. Accounts shall be audited annually by a qualified person selected by the Board who shall submit a report thereon to the Board. The Secretary shall act for the Treasurer, if necessary.

Section 6. Regional Directors shall function as representatives of the Board of Management and as field points of contact for the Board. Specific duties will be assigned or suggested by the President.

Section 7. The Archivist shall maintain records, reports, photographs or other memorabilia deemed by the WRD Retirees or the Water Resources Division to be of historical interest or significance. Archival material shall be sorted, filed and indexed to facilitate retrieval and use.

BYLAW IV. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section l. The biennial election of National Officers and Regional Directors shall be held in November of odd-numbered years.

Section 2. Nominations for National Officers and Regional Directors may be made by any member at any time through September preceding the November election. The Board of Management shall be the nominating committee and shall announce, in an appropriate issue of the Newsletter, the slate of nominees for each office together with a ballot on which the names of other nominees may be entered and voted upon.

Section 3. Three members of the Board of Management shall act as judges of the election, count the ballots and declare elected the person receiving the largest number of votes cast for each of the offices. In the event of a tie, the election will be determined by the Board of Management. Election results will be announced in the Newsletter.

BYLAW V. COMMITTEES

Section 1. The President may create committees of no less than three members each to carry out the functions of the organization; and shall designate a head of each committee, fill vacancies as they occur, and specify the form in which the committee shall report its activities.

BYLAW VI. ADOPTION OF CONSTITUTION AND AMENDMENTS

Section I. This constitution is a recodification and revision of articles adopted by the membership by ballot in 1974 and was amended and approved by a majority of members voting in 1991, 1992,1998,2003, 2004 and 2007.

Section 2. Future amendments petitioned by members or proposed by the Board of management shall be adopted upon approval by a majority of members voting.

May 2007

Website contact: wrdretirees@usgs.gov