CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS
Revised 01/31/2009
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - Title
The name of this organization shall be the Big Sky Veterinary Technician Association, hereafter referred to as the Association.
ARTICLE II - Purpose
The purpose of the Association is as follows:
A) To facilitate the ethical introduction of veterinary technicians into the veterinary medicine.
B) To stimulate advancement in veterinary technology.
C) To aid in the continuing education, dissemination of material and data of value to the public, Association members, and workers in the veterinary technology and veterinary field.
ARTICLE III - Membership
Section 1. Active Membership
Active membership shall be open to persons trained as veterinary
technicians and certified according to these By-Laws. Active members shall have voting privileges.
Section 2. Associate Membership
Associate membership shall be open to those persons who are interested in supporting and promoting the Association. Those members shall not be eligible to serve as officers of the Association, shall not vote in Association affairs but may serve on committees on the approval of the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE IV - Officers, Their election and duties.
Section 1. Titles
The elected officers of the Association are the Past-President, President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasure, Association State Representative, Board of Directors, and such other officers as the By-Laws may from time to time specify. These officers make up the Executive Committee. Each shall have one vote in Executive Committee meetings with the exception of the President who shall vote only in order to break a tie vote.
Section 2. Nominations and Elections
A) Nominations
The President shall solicit nominations for all officers to be filled
from the eligible membership of the Association, and prepare a slate of candidates consisting of not fewer than two names for each office to be filled. Nominations for officers may be submitted by active members only and a written acceptance of all nominees will be secured before preparing the slate of candidates.
B) Eligibility
Qualified voters in any election shall be those individual active
members in good standing (dues of current year paid.)
C) Election Procedures
Election to the office will be by majority vote of attending active
members during the Association’s annual summer business meeting. Notarized absentee ballots will be accepted. A member must be a National and MVMA Certified Veterinary Technician to hold an office.
SECTION 3. Terms of office
The Past-President, President, and President-Elect shall hold office for two years. At the end of the Association’s fiscal year (June 30), the President-Elect shall assume the office of President. The President, at this time, will then assume the office of Past-President. The next President-Elect will be elected at the Association’s annual business meeting and shall also assume office at the end of the Association’s fiscal year. The Secretary shall hold office for three years and the Treasurer shall hold office for five years from the end of the Association’s annual business meeting. In absence of other provisions for succession, all officers shall serve until their successors are duly elected.
SECTION 4. Automatic succession to higher office
The office of President-Elect is an elective office; at the end of the two-year term of office the President-Elect will automatically succeed to the office of President without the formality of election. In like manner, the office of President shall undertake the office of Past-President of the Executive Committee in order to serve in an advisory capacity to the Association. If in the opinion of other members of the Executive Committee, an officer is believed to be unable to continue in an office due to poor health, nonattendance, and/or malperformance of duties, said the Executive Committee in writing of this belief shall notify officer and invited to a hearing of his/her views or rebuttal. The Executive Committee shall hold the hearing within a two-week period of the time following notification. After such a hearing, a written poll will be taken whether to request the resignation of the officer in question. A majority vote of those present is necessary to request resignation. If resignation is requested an officer must resign. If the officer in question is unable to appear at the time designated for the initial hearing, a second hearing shall be arranged for no sooner than two weeks and at the convenience of both the Executive Committee and the officer in question.
SECTION 5. Duties of Officers
1. Past-President: two year term--shall serve as an advisor to the
Executive Committee and Association members.
2. President: Two year term--shall:
a. Preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee and the
annual general business meeting.
b. Coordinate the agenda of all meetings of the Association
c. Have the power to break ties
d. Represent the Association in all matters
e. Appoint the Chairpersons of all standing and ad hoc committees except as otherwise provided in the Constitution, outline the purpose and duties of each committee and monitor their progress
f. Promote the interest and active participation in the Association
on the part of the membership and report activities of the
Association to the members
g. Present and address to the annual general membership meeting, at the end of the term in office and at other appropriate meetings
h. In cooperation with the Treasurer, help develop, recommend and oversee that the Association operated within the proposed annual budget and is audited annually
i. Act as spokesperson for the Association to the press, the public, and related organizations
j. Promote the Veterinary Medical Profession and the Veterinary
Technician Profession including their relationships to the public
health and agriculture
3. President-Elect: two-year term with automatic succession to the office of President-- shall serve as President in the temporary absence of the President.
4. Secretary: Three year term--shall:
a. Record the minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee, annual general membership meetings and any other Association meetings
b. Maintain accurate record of Association’s members
c. Maintain a file of all standing and ad hoc committee meeting
minutes for not less the 5 years
d. Turn over all Association records to his/her duly elected successor within one month of the completion of his/her term
e. Assist in conduction of the general correspondence of the
f. Assist in obtaining nominations for offices to be filled and in
obtaining a slate of candidates
5. Treasurer: Five year term--shall:
a. Keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements and give a written report at the annual meeting of the Association
b. Shall sign checks for the Association with authorization of the President
c. Receive and have charge of all funds of the Association,
deposit such funds in a bank designated by the Executive Committee
d. Seek and maintain tax-exempt status for the Association and
promptly prepare forms/applications as required by the
appropriate governmental agencies ( income tax statements,
etc.) All such records must be maintained and available for
inspection by qualified persons
e. Within one month after the completion of his/her term of office, deliver to the newly elected treasurer all money, voucher, books, and papers of the Association held in his/her custody
6. Big Sky Veterinary Technician Association State Representative: no time limit--shall:
a. Oversee the C.E. hours for each MVMA certified technician for
re-certification
b. Be the go between for the technicians and the MVMA’s secretary
c. Be the contact person for the state for the AVMA
d. Be in attendance at all board meetings of the Executive Committee
7. Board of Directors: --shall
a. Move up the ladder to President
b. Attend all Executive Committee meetings
ARTICLE V - Amendments
SECTION 1. Procedure
Any member of the Association eligible to vote may propose an
amendment to this Constitution.
SECTION 2. Approval
An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the eligible members who are in attendance at the meeting shall be required to amend this Constitution.
SECTION 3. Adoption
Approved amendments will be formally adopted at that meeting and will become effective as of the close of such meeting unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment.
ARTICLE VI - By-Laws
The By-Laws of the Association shall appear following the last Article of the Constitution.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I - Membership and dues
SECTION 1. Nomination and acceptance of Membership
Association members may obtain membership after formal application to the Association, the payment of dues, and approval.
SECTION 2. Dues
Initial membership dues shall be established and fixed by the Executive Committee and approved by majority of members at the annual membership meeting. The fiscal year of the Association shall be July 1 to June 30 and there will be no prorating of dues. Only active members in good standing (dues of current year paid) may vote for officers or in other affairs of the Association. The dues for November 1 to November 1 will be $25.00 per year with a $5.00 penalty fee after November 2nd
SECTION 3. Certification Fees
As of November 1 2006 certification fees will be deposited to a subaccount of Big Sky Veterinary Technician Association.
A) Expenditures will include yearly certificates for certification,
postage for mailing certificates and applications for certification.
SECTION 4. Membership due
As of November 1 2006 Big Sky Veterinary Technician dues will be deposited into Big Sky Technician Association’s bank account
A) Expenditures will include newsletters, a reimbursement of
$10.00 for MVMA or BSVTA C.E. with conformation of
attendance of the C.E.
SECTION 5. NSF Fees
If a check is returned due to Non Sufficient Funds a fee of up to $30 will be applied along with any other applicable late fees.
ARTICLE II - Resignation of Officers
SECTION 1. Resignation Procedure
Any member of the Executive Committee who wishes to resign his/her position must notify the Executive Committee in writing of his/her intention and the date the resignation will be effective.
ARTICLE III - Vacancies in office
SECTION 1. Vacancies of Office
In the event an office becomes vacant through resignation or for any other reason, the Executive Committee shall empower to appoint another eligible member to fill the uncompleted term of office.
ARTICLE IV - Meetings
SECTION 1. Regular meetings
The Association shall hold a regular membership meeting at a time and place designated by the Association members. The Executive Committee shall conduct the business of the Association in the intervals between regularly held meetings.
SECTION 2. Special Meetings
A special meeting may be called by:
a. The Executive Committee
b. Petition to the Executive Committee by twenty percent of the
members of the Association
SECTION 3. Quorum
A quorum for items published on the agenda for any regular or special meetings shall consist of those eligible members present.
SECTION 4. Committee reports
The Association shall require reports from any ad hoc committees at the annual membership meeting, and at the discretion of the Executive Committee, at any special meeting.
ARTICLE V - Committees
SECTION 1. Authorization
This Association shall have ad hoc committees, as may be specified from time to time by the Executive Committee.
SECTION 2. Appointment
The President shall appoint the chairperson of all committees
ARTICLE VI - Amendments to the By-Laws
SECTION 1. Procedure
Any eligible member of the Association may propose an amendment of these By-Laws by petitioning the Executive Committee.
SECTION 2. Approval
An affirmative vote of two-thirds of the eligible members who are in attendance at the annual meeting shall be required to amend these By-Laws.
SECTION 3. Adoption
Approved amendments will be formally adopted at that meeting and will become effective as of the close of such meeting unless otherwise stipulated in the amendment
ARTICLE VII - Certification
SECTION 1. Grandfather clause
A person who can produce satisfactory evidence that he/she has been employed as a veterinary technician in the office of a licensed veterinarian for five or more years and has successfully completed the National Boards by June 2006 shall be issued a Veterinary Technicians certificate
A) Two letters of recommendation shall be required with one of them from the employing veterinarian.
B) If you were grandfathered at one time, and your certification has lapsed, a technician will be permitted to sit for the National Exam.
C) Reciprocity - shall require a copy of the National Exam scores and a current copy of a license or certification certificate from transferring state. SECTION 2. Graduate
A person who has graduated from an AVMA accredited school for
Veterinary Technicians
A) Reciprocity for a graduate will be a copy of the National Exam Scores and a copy of their diploma
SECTION 3. Continuing Education
Sixteen hours of approved C.E. will be required in each two-year period to qualify for re-certification. If you do not have 16 hours of C.E. you will have until the next State meeting to earn the hours. If after the meeting
convenes you fail to renew your certification by obtaining your 16 hours of C.E. a $125.00 fine along with eight additional hours of C.E. will be required of you within six months of expiration (Nov 1st). If your certification lapses for five years you will be required to retake the VTNE.
A) C. E. may consist of hours from meetings, magazines, on-line, as long as they are approved by the MVMA, AVMA, or AAHA, and RACE. A maximum of 4 hours of alternative C.E. will be allowed (ex. magazines or on-line). Hours must be obtained within the two year certification time period. (Example: 11/1/08 to 11/1/10)
B) New Graduates on a re-certification year are exempt from C.E. and new graduates on a non re-certification year need 8 hours of C.E. due for the next re-certification.
ARTICLE VIII - Dispersing of funds upon dissolving of Assoc.
SECTION 1. Entities to receive funds
At the June 25, 2006 State Meeting a quorum decided to divide
any remaining funds in the BSVTA bank account, would be divided
evenly between The Grounded Eagle Foundation of Condon, MT, The Rolling Dog Ranch of Ovando, MT and the Deadman Foundation (a no kill facility in Fort Benton) upon dissolving of the Assoc. All organizations are nonprofit organizations.
