STANDING RULES OF FLOTILLA 10-2 ALLENTOWN, PA

5th DISTRICT, NR

U.S. COAST GUARD AUXILIARY

 

ARTICLE I - NAME

1.1   The name of this organization shall be FLOTILLA 10-2, FIFTH DISTRICT, NORTHERN REGION, UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY, hereinafter referred to as the "FLOTILLA."

 ARTICLE II - LIMITATIONS OF STANDING RULES

2.1   Any provision in these Standing Rules which is in conflict with the current edition of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Manual, COMDTINST M16790.1 (series), and all amendments and additions thereto, hereafter referred to as the "MANUAL", Commandant or District Instructions and Notices, the National Board Standing Rules, the District Standing Rules and/or the Division Standing Rules shall be null and void.

 

2.2   These standing rules are supplementary to the policies and procedures established for the formation, operation, membership, election or appointment of officers and disestablishment of the Flotilla by the Manual or other appropriate Auxiliary requirements.

 

2.3   Nothing in these rules shall authorize the Flotilla to take any action inconsistent with or not authorized by the Manual or other policies of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard.

ARTICLE III - ORGANIZATION

3.1   The composition and purpose of the Flotilla shall be as set forth in the Manual.

 

3.2   The duties of the elected and appointed staff officers shall be as designated in the Manual and in any District Instruction.

ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS

4.1   The frequency, day, time and location of the regular meetings shall be established by a majority vote, provided a quorum is present, and shall remain fixed as such in ensuing years until duly changed in the same manner.

 

4.2   Special meetings may be called by the Flotilla Commander by notifying all members at least seven (7) days in advance of such meeting, specifying the date, time, location and purpose.

 

4.3   Unless otherwise provided in the Manual or these Standing Rules, all business shall be conducted at meetings in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, as last revised.

ARTICLE V - VOTING

5.1   Twenty per cent (20%) of the eligible voting members of the Flotilla shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting of the Flotilla.

 

 

 

5.2   Unless a greater number than a majority for specific action is required by these Standing Rules or by the Manual, a majority of the votes actually cast by members present and voting, can carry a motion, provided a quorum is present. Blank votes or abstentions do not count in the total for determining the number of votes cast. One of the voting members must be the Flotilla Commander or Flotilla Vice Commander. If neither the Flotilla Commander nor the Flotilla Vice Commander is present, Flotilla business cannot be conducted.

 

5.3   Each eligible member of the Flotilla shall have one vote.

 

5.4   Proxy and absentee voting shall not be permitted.

 

5.5   Voting on routine matters shall normally be by voice unless otherwise requested by a member or as provided in these Standing Rules or by the Manual.

 

5.6   A closed ballot may be requested by any member of the Flotilla and the request shall be honored without discussion.

ARTICLE VI - ELECTION OF OFFICERS

6.1   The Flotilla shall hold an annual election of officers for the ensuing year, usually at the November meeting, but prior to 15 December and after the Division elections.

 

6.2   The Flotilla Commander shall appoint a Nominating Committee at the regular meeting of the Flotilla in the month of September of each year. This Nominating Committee shall select a nominee for each elective Flotilla office to be filled for the ensuing year, and determine that their selectees are willing to serve if elected. The Committee shall meet no later than October 01 and report its nominations to the Flotilla Commander within fifteen (15) days thereafter. The Committee shall also report its nominations at the next regular Flotilla meeting. The nominations of this Committee may also be reported to the Flotilla members in any written notice sent to the members prior to the regular meeting in November. The Committee nominations shall not preclude other nominations from the floor at the meeting where the election is held. Such additional nominations shall be encouraged by the Flotilla Commander.

 

6.3   The Flotilla members may direct the Flotilla Commander to dispense with the appointment of a Nominating Committee in any specific year. This is possible by a motion duly enacted with an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of those present, with a quorum existing. In this event, the Flotilla Commander shall not appoint a Nominating Committee in that specific year, and all nominations to fill elective Flotilla offices for the ensuing year shall be made from the floor.

 

6.4   The election of officers shall be by written ballot unless only one member is nominated to each elective office, in which event the Secretary may be directed by a voice vote to cast a single ballot on behalf of the members.

 

6.5   To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority vote of the voting members in attendance. If there are more than two candidates for an office and after two successive votes, no candidate receives a sufficient number of votes for election, the candidate receiving the least number of votes shall be dropped from the next succeeding ballot until only two candidates remain. In the event of three (3) successive tie votes, the moderator shall place all of the ballots cast on the third vote into a container, blindly select one ballot from the container, have the ballots minus the withdrawn ballot counted, and announce the winner.

 

6.6   All notices of any election meeting must be given to the Division Captain at least fifteen (15) days prior to the election meeting.

 

6.7   Election of officers shall be so organized that if the Flotilla Commander is a candidate for office or is unavailable to so act, then the member of the Division Bridge or the Immediate Past Flotilla Commander shall act as moderator.

 

6.8   Upon completion of the election, all ballots shall be destroyed by the moderator without revealing the count of any closed ballot.

ARTICLE VII - REMOVAL FROM OFFICE

7.1   Any elected flotilla officer may be recommended for removal from the office to which elected by an affirmative vote of three-quarters (3/4) of the members present and voting at a meeting in which a quorum is present. A full and fair hearing shall be first conducted with the accused and the accuser present, provided written notice of said meeting and the charges is sent ten (10) days in advance to all those entitled to vote and the Division Captain. Recommendation for removal may only be for cause which brings discredit upon the Coast Guard or the Coast Guard Auxiliary and is addressed to the District Commander through the Division Captain, District Commodore and Director of Auxiliary.

ARTICLE VIII - FINANCES

8.1   The annual Flotilla dues shall be such sum of money as may be fixed by a majority vote at a regular or special meeting of the Flotilla, at which seven (7) days prior written notice of the meeting and intent were given, and shall remain fixed at such sum in ensuing years until otherwise duly changed by the Flotilla. However, any such vote in the amount of dues shall be made at least four months prior to the effective date of such change.

 

8.2   The annual dues, including Flotilla, Division, District and National, shall be levied on each member on a calendar-year basis and shall be payable during the month of November for the following calendar year. First year dues for new members shall be prorated as determined by District policy and shall be submitted with the enrollment application.

 

8.3   No member who is separated from the Auxiliary by reason of resignation, or otherwise, shall be entitled to refund of dues paid.

 

8.4   The Flotilla Finance Officer shall be the custodian of all Flotilla funds. With the consent of the Flotilla Commander, the Finance Officer shall establish an account with a federally insured banking institution in a location convenient to the Finance Officer.

 

8.5   All Flotilla funds, other than small cash sums in the process of collection, shall be deposited in this account which shall be known as "U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 10-02". All withdrawals therefrom shall be by check only.

 

 

 

 

 

8.6   The Flotilla Commander or the Vice Flotilla Commander when acting in the absence of the Flotilla Commander, is authorized to approve payment of a routine obligations as set forth in a flotilla budget approved by the Flotilla. Routine obligations include those incurred by the Flotilla in connection with carrying out officially adopted policy of the Flotilla and payments within the limits of the budget. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

 

·         Purchases and engraving of authorized awards

·         Publishing costs of a newsletter and/or notices

·         Purchase of public education and training materials

·         Purchase of flags, pennants and Auxiliary uniform accessories

·         Bills for all Flotilla functions

·         Division, District and National dues

·         Any other expenditure authorized by the Flotilla budget

 

8.7   The Flotilla Commander or if the Flotilla Commander is unavailable, the Flotilla Vice Commander, may authorize emergency expenditures not exceeding a total of $100.00 (one hundred dollars) in any one calendar month and direct the Finance Officer to pay for such. A full report of such emergency expenditures shall be made to the Flotilla at its next regular or special meeting.

 

8.8   The Flotilla may, upon motion duly made and carried, set aside separate funds from the general funds to enable committee chairpersons of Flotilla functions to carry out the committee's responsibilities. The Flotilla Commander may authorize payment of bills from these funds. When the fund is depleted, no further bill may be authorized for payment without prior approval from the Flotilla.

 

8.9   All other obligations, regardless of amount, will be considered as special obligations. Authorization to incur special obligations and requests for the appropriation of Flotilla funds must be submitted to the Flotilla for approval by duly filed and considered motions, except as otherwise provided in this Article.

 

8.10   All disbursements of Flotilla funds shall be by check, signed by the Finance Officer and/or the Flotilla Commander.

 

8.11   The Finance Officer shall render a financial report at each regular meeting of the Flotilla, which report shall include all receipts and expenditures since the last rendering of a financial report and the balance of funds remaining as of the day preceding the day of the meeting. Any emergency expenditures authorized by the Flotilla Commander, included in the reported expenditures, shall be so designated in the report.

 

8.12   The chairperson of any duly appointed committee where Flotilla funds are involved, will furnish the Flotilla Finance Officer with a monthly statement of the financial transactions of the committee. The chairperson will transfer to the Flotilla Finance Officer within thirty (30) days after the completion of the committee activities, the balance of all monies received with a completed committee financial statement.

 

8.13   The Flotilla may provide by a duly enacted motion that the Finance Officer post a bond in favor of the Flotilla in such amount as the Flotilla may determine. All costs for such bond shall be paid by the Flotilla.

 

8.14   Upon the appointment of a succeeding Finance Officer, the retiring Finance Officer shall promptly deliver all Flotilla funds, books, and records to the new Finance Officer.

 

8.15   The funds, books, and records of the Flotilla shall be examined by the Audit Committee yearly and upon the appointment of a new Finance Officer.

ARTICLE IX - CONTRACTS

9.1   All licenses and agreements for the use of real property as well as contracts for the expenditure of Flotilla funds as may be authorized by a vote of the Flotilla, shall be approved by the District Staff Officer - Legal (DSO-LP) or an attorney designated from the National Legal Affairs staff, before signing and shall be signed by the Flotilla Commander or the Division Captain in the absence of the Flotilla Commander.

ARTICLE X - COMMITTEES

10.1   Standing committees and special committees consisting of any number of members may be appointed by the Flotilla Commander. The Flotilla Commander shall designate the chairperson of each such committee appointed and outline the objectives to be accomplished unless such are otherwise prescribed. Individuals may be appointed as one-person committees if desired.

 

10.2   The Flotilla Commander shall appoint an Audit Committee at or before the regular meeting of the Flotilla in the month of December of each year. This Committee shall examine and audit the financial books and records of the Flotilla Finance Officer and Materials Officer for the preceding year and shall report their findings at the next regular meeting of the Flotilla.

 

10.3   The Flotilla Commander shall appoint a Budget Committee at or before the regular meeting of the Flotilla in the month of January of each year. This Committee shall prepare a budget with the assistance of the Flotilla Finance Officer and the Flotilla Materials Officer and submit said budget to the Flotilla for approval within 3 months of the new year.

 

10.4   The Flotilla Commander is empowered to appoint an Awards Committee to review and make recommendations to the Flotilla for the recognition of individuals and groups for special recognition by the Flotilla, Division, District or the United States Coast Guard.

 

10.5   The Flotilla Commander is empowered to appoint a Past Commanders Committee

composed of all Past Flotilla Commanders and Past Flotilla Vice Commanders who are currently active. The chairperson shall be the Immediate Past Flotilla Commander if active and available. If unavailable or unwilling to serve, the Flotilla Commander shall appoint any other Past Flotilla Commander as chairperson.

 

The primary duty of this committee shall be to consider all Auxiliary matters that are referred to it by the Flotilla Commander and all matters that are of interest to the Flotilla. The committee shall make written recommendations concerning such matters directly to the Flotilla Commander.

 

10.6   The Flotilla Commander shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI - PROCEDURE FOR RELIEF OF OFFICERS

11.1   It will be the duty of each elected and appointed officer, at the end of the term of office, to deliver to the successor, all current materials, supplies and records pertaining to the office. The officer being relieved shall assist in effecting an orderly transfer of the administrative function of the office, including but not limited to the briefing of the successor on the procedures to be followed and the forms to be completed and submitted.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

12.1   These Standing Rules may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Flotilla, at which fourteen (14) days prior written notice of the meeting and proposed amendment were given, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the voting members, provided a quorum is present.

 

12.2   Amendments shall become effective upon approval of the Director of Auxiliary unless the amendment provides for a later effective date, in which event the amendment shall become effective upon the date provided or upon the approval of the Director of Auxiliary, whichever shall later occur.

ARTICLE XIII - APPROVAL

These Standing Rules were adopted on the _____ day of _______ by a majority vote of the Flotilla members and become effective upon approval by the Director of Auxiliary.

 

 

 

                                   ____________________________________

                                   Flotilla Commander

 

 

 

                                   ____________________________________

Attest:                            Flotilla Secretary

 

 

 

Approved: ___________              ____________________________________

           Date                     Division Captain

 

 

 

Approved: ___________              ____________________________________

           Date                     District Staff Officer - Legal

 

 

 

Approved: ___________              ____________________________________

           Date                     District Commodore

 

 

 

Approved: ___________              ____________________________________

           Date                     Director of Auxiliary