Constitution

RETIRED EDUCATION PERSONNEL OF MISSISSIPPI CONSITUTION

ARTICLE I

Section 1. Name: The name of this body is Retired Education Personnel of Mississippi, hereafter referred to as REPM.

The principal offices and State Headquarters of the Association shall be in Jackson, MS. The location of said offices and headquarters may be changed, and other subsidiary quarters and services may be established, located and moved to such place or places within the State of Mississippi as the Board of Directors shall from time to time determine.

Section 2. Purposes: The purposes of the Association, a membership association, shall be:

To support the Board of Trustees of the Public Employees Retirement System in its efforts to maintain and improve the system.
To lobby aggressively for legislation in support of bills supported by the PERS Board and to actively seek the defeat of legislation opposed by the Board.
To provide a forum for discussion and action on issues and topics which are of interest to members of the Association.
To promote the formation and active participation of local associations consisting of one or more school districts and/or institutions of higher learning and to encourage prospective members to join both state and local associations.
To cooperate with other associations which incorporate these same goals.
To promote a unified effort in endeavors that would be beneficial to the members of the association.
To offer projects which will involve the membership in community services.

ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. Classes of Memberships: Membership In the Association shall consist of the following classifications:

Regular membership. Any person who is a retired teacher, administrator or any other person who has been employed by any educational institution or other interested persons are eligible for membership. Members shall pay annual dues in the amount set by the association.
Life Membership. Any Member of the Association may become a Life Member by payment of the amount set by the Association to the local unit treasurer or to the REPM Treasurer with a completed application form. Annual local dues are not to apply to Life members.

Section 2. Termination of Membership: Any member shall cease to be a member of the Association if dues are not paid.

ARTICLE III

Officers and Board of Directors

Section 1. Management: Except as otherwise provided by law or in this Constitution, the direction of the affairs and funds of the Association shall be vested in the elected officers and the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Officers: The officers of the Association shall be: President, First Vice-President/President-Elect, Second Vice-President, Secretary and appointed Treasurer. There shall be six districts determined by the Board of Directors with each district director elected by and from each of the respective districts.

Section 3. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall consist of four (4) elected officers, President, First Vice-President/President- Elect, Second Vice President, Secretary and appointed Treasurer. This Committee may deal with any matters not requiring consideration by the Board of Directors.

Section 4. Board of Directors: The Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Committee, District Directors, Past President, State Coordinator, major committee chairpersons, and appointed officers (including Historian, Parliamentarian, and Corresponding Secretary).

Section 5. Terms of Office and Elections: The President, the First Vice-President/President Elect, Second Vice President and the Secretary shall be elected and serve for a term of two years each. The First Vice-President /President-Elect shall automatically succeed to Presidency. The Treasurer will be appointed by the REPM Board of Directors with term limits and compensation determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 6: Meetings and Actions of the Board.

Meeting: The Board of Directors shall have at least one regular meeting annually at dates to be determined by the Board of Directors or fixed by the President of the Board. The Board of Directors shall meet at other times on call of the President of the Board or on request of a majority of its current members.
Referendums: In the interval between meetings of the Board of Directo4s, the President or the Secretary may refer and submit by mail or telephone to the elected members of the Board of Directors specific questions relating to affairs of management of the Association, or elections to fill vacancies, or amendments to the Constitution which in the opinion of the President require immediate action on the party of the Board. The result of such referendum, if consented to in writing by a majority of the members of the Board entitled to vote therein constitute the act of said Board of Directors and shall be binding upon the Association, its officers. directors, agents, committees, and other personnel and employees in the same manner as if the approval were taken at the duly constituted meeting.
Notice of Meeting: Notice of regular meetings of the Board of Directors shall be received at least then (10) days prior to the day of the meeting. Meetings shall be held at the place designated by the President. Notice of special meetings of the Board of Directors, specifying the subjects to be considered at a meeting shall be received at least seven (7) days prior to the day of the meeting.
Quorum: A quorum of the Board of Directors shall be one-half of the total number of the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise provided for herein, the affirmative vote of the majority of the Directors present shall constitute the act of the Board.
Budget: The President shall yearly submit to the Board of Directors a budget for the ensuing year for consideration and adoption by the Board. The treasurer is authorized to issue checks from the Association’s funds for budgeted items and for other expenses incurred by the President and approved by the Board.

Section 7. Duties of the Officers

The president shall preside at all meetings of the Association, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Directors. The President shall appoint standing and special committees and serve as Ex-Officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
The First Vice-President/President-Elect shall automatically be elevated to the presidency at the expiration of a two-year term. The First Vice-President/President-Elect shall assume the duties of the President in case of absence or disability of the President, and shall be elevated to the Presidency should the office become vacant. The First Vice-President /President-Elect shall serve as the chairperson of the scholarship and foundation committee.
The Second Vice-President shall preside in case of the absence of the President and Vice-President/President-Elect. The Second Vice-President shall serve as chair of the membership committee and lead in organizing additional local Associations in Mississippi.
The Secretary shall record the minutes and make a permanent record of all the proceedings of this Association and furnish the president and Board of Directors a copy of such minutes.
The Treasurer shall receive and pay out monies belonging to the Association, keep an accurate account of receipts and expenditures, and present a report at each regular meeting. Expense vouchers shall be signed by the President for approval. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for collections and recording all membership dues, depositing dues at designated banks, and mailing membership cards to new members and replacement of life membership cards if requested. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of membership by units, by regular members and life members and correspond with local units, state officers and district officers concerning membership details that are necessary for accuracy of records. The Treasurer shall enter paid membership information into the electronic database and provide database files for periodic newsletter mailings. The Treasurer will also receive all donations to the Scholarship/ Foundation and disburse the monies to the recipients of the Scholarships. The Treasurer and an alternate officer shall be authorized by the Board to sign vouchers in an emergency situation. The Treasurer shall be bonded and the financial records of the association shall be audited annually. The Treasurer shall report to the State Board, attend meetings and provide financial reports as required by the Board.