Chester County Council Venturing Officers’ Association Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Chester County Council Venturing Officers’ Association, hereinafter the Association.

Article II : Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to provide a forum for the youth leadership of the Venturing Crews of Chester County Council, to provide Venturing program support to crews through the district officers, to promote Venturing and its programs, to assist the district Roundtable Commissioners and staffs upon request, and also to provide a variety of program and training events for youth all across the Council.

Article III : Parliamentary Authority

To the extent which they are applicable and not in conflict with these bylaws the rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern meetings of the Association and all subsidiary bodies.

Article IV : Crew Representatives

§ A : Number

Each Venturing Crew in the Chester County Council shall have the right to send two Crew Representatives to be members of the Association.

§ B : Eligibility

Any currently registered youth member in the Crew is eligible to be selected as a Crew Representative. If the youth ceases to be a registered youth member of the Crew, then they are no longer eligible to serve as a Crew Representative from that Crew to the Association. No person may be a Crew Representative from more than one Crew at a time.

§ C : Selection

The duration and method of the selection of Crew Representatives is left to the discretion of the Crew, subject to the eligibility provisions above.

§ D: Grandfather Clause

The founding members of the first meeting of the Chester County Council’s Venturing Officer’s Association shall have life membership to the CCCVOA, so long as they are registered with a venturing crew in the council.

The  founding members are as follows:

Kyle Chappelle

Danielle Deery-Asti

Laura Hinderliter

Owen Kaehn

Saralyn Kassel

Kelly McAvoy

Ian Miller

Krista Moses

Tim Zirkel

Advisor: Jeff Miller

Article V : Venturing General Assembly

§ A : Authority

The Venturing General Assembly shall meet annually elect the Council Venturing Cabinets and conduct any other business that needs to be addressed at that time.

§ B : Composition

The Venturing General Assembly shall be composed of all Crew Representatives in attendance. Each Crew Representative in attendance shall be entitled to one vote.

Officers of the Association are not ex officio members of the General Assembly, although they may be selected as a Crew Representative.

Article VI : Council Venturing Cabinet

§ A : Authority

The Council Venturing Cabinet shall organize the planning and implementation of Venturing events and training at the council level.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of Council Venturing President when there is no Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration or Council Venturing Vice-President of Program to fill that office, the Council Venturing Cabinet shall elect an eligible individual to serve as Council Venturing President for the unexpired portion of the term of office.

§ B : Meetings

The meetings of this Council Venturing Cabinet shall occur monthly at a regular time and place to be set by the Cabinet.

Meetings of the Council Venturing Cabinet do not need to be held during the Summer months.

§ C : Composition

The Council Venturing Cabinet shall be composed of the Council Venturing President, the Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration, the Council Venturing Vice-President for Program, the Council Venturing Secretary, the Council Venturing Treasurer, and the Council Venturing Webmaster.

§ D : Council Venturing President

The Council Venturing President shall serve as the spokesman and representative of the Council Venturing Cabinet, the Venturing General Assembly, the Association, and all Venturers within the Council.

The Council Venturing President shall preside at all meetings of the Venturing General Assembly and the Council Venturing Cabinet.

In the event of a vacancy in the office of Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration or Program, the office of Council Venturing Secretary, the Council Venturing President shall appoint an eligible individual to serve in that office for the unexpired portion of the term of office.

§ E : Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration is responsible for the oversight and support of all District officers.

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration shall perform the duties of Council Venturing President should that officer be temporarily unable to perform them.

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration shall immediately assume the office of Council Venturing President should that office become vacant.

§ F : Council Venturing Vice-President for Program

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Program is responsible for the oversight and support of all Committees not reporting to the District Venturing Cabinets, and to assist in organizing events that address all five areas of the Venturing program.

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Program shall perform the duties of Council Venturing President should that officer and the Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration be temporarily unable to perform them.

The Council Venturing Vice-President for Program shall immediately assume the office of Council Venturing President should that office and that of Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration become vacant.

§ G : Council Venturing Secretary

The Council Venturing Secretary shall record all minutes at meetings of the Council Venturing Cabinet and General Assembly, work with Committees to promote Venturing events, and publish a regular newsletter for the Association to be distributed to Venturers in the Council.

§ H : Council Venturing Treasurer

Money for events or training should be receipted through the Council and expenses paid by the Council.  The Treasurer can approve expenses for invoices before they are paid and the Council can provide information to Treasurer on revenue and expenses for all Venturing activities and training events.

§ I : Council Venturing Webmaster

The Council Venturing Webmaster shall design and maintain the website for the Association. The maintaining of the website will include, but is not limited to, updating schedules, providing information about the Association, and providing information for any activities for council.

Article VII : Election of Officers

§ A : Time and Place

Association Officers shall be elected by the General Assembly at the Venturing Conclaves held in the months of June and December.

§ B : Term of Office

Newly elected officers shall take office at the installation ceremony following their election and shall continue to serve until the election of their successors, so long as they remain eligible to hold office.

§ C : Eligibility

Any youth member of any Crew in the Council shall be eligible to run for any office of the Association, so long as they have not reached the age of 20 years at the time of the election.

§ D : Procedure

The Council Venturing President, Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration, Council Venturing Vice-President for Program, and Council Venturing Secretary shall be elected by the General Assembly as a whole.

After all nominations have been received and before ballots are cast candidates shall be permitted the opportunity to speak briefly.

All elections shall be conducted by secret ballot. A majority of votes cast shall be necessary to elect.

Article IX : Removal from Office

§ A : Notice

Notice of intent to remove an officer must be given at the previous meeting of the body that will hold the removal vote or be mailed to all members of that body at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting at which the removal vote will occur.

§ B : Authority to Remove

The Council Venturing President, Council Venturing Vice-President for Administration, Council Venturing Vice-President for Program, and Council Venturing Secretary may be removed from office by a 2/3 vote at a meeting of the Council Venturing Cabinet.

§ C : Response

Prior to any removal vote, but after the reasons for the removal have been given, the officer to be removed shall have the opportunity to publicly respond.

Article X : Amendment

§ A : Notice

Proposed amendments to these Bylaws must be distributed to all Crews in the Council at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the annual Conclave at which they will be considered.

§ B : Authority to Amend

The General Assembly may adopt proposed amendments by a 2/3 vote at the annual Conclave.

§ C : Time of Effect

Unless stated otherwise in the amendment, all amendments shall take effect immediately upon their adoption.