CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE
I
Name, Purpose and Territory
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, INC., consisting of the following companies:
Aerial Ladder Co. No. 1
Erie Hose Co. No. 1
Valley Hose Co. No. 2
Rescue Company No. 3
Hidi Hose Co. No. 4
Auxiliary Company No. 6
ARTICLE
II
Object of the Organization
Section 1: The object of the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, INC. shall be the extinguishment of fires in the Village of Gowanda and duly approved Fire Districts: and shall maintain in proper order all equipment of the Corporation, and the promotion of social intercourse among its members.
Section 2: Its motto shall be “For the protection of life and property.”
Section 3: Dissolution of Gowanda Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.
Upon dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501 ©(3) of the Internal Revenue code, or corresponding section of any future Federal tax code, or shall be distributed to the Federal Government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose.
ARTICLE
III
Membership
Section 1. Membership in the organization shall be divided into four (4) classes: Active, exempt, social, and honorary.
Section 2. Candidates for Active membership shall be at least Sixteen (16) years of age, and are required to have a physical examination by a licensed general practioner. Candidates must be a bonafied resident of the village of Gowanda or a duly approved fire district thereof.
Section 3: Candidates for
Past Active membership. Any active member of the Gowanda
Volunteer Fire Company that transfers to a Past
Active
membership shall be able to vote
at the company level elections and hold non-firematic office in same
company. Shall also be eligible to hold the following
department
offices: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sgt. at Arms. They
shall not perform any firematic duties.
Section 4: Candidates for Social Member may be any active, or exempt member who finds that he can no longer perform service as an active or exempt and new members who do not care to perform the duties of active or exempt members may join the social membership. Social members may enjoy the social privileges of the active and exempt members, but shall not be required to attend meetings, hold any office, or perform any firematic duties. Social members are not allowed to vote in the annual corporation elections.
Section 5: Candidates for Honorary membership shall have no rights, privileges of any character by reason thereof, except on invitation from the organization and shall not perform any firematic duties.
Section 6: A person who cannot meet the residence requirements of Article III, Section 2 may be elected to membership as a volunteer member of GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE CO., INC. if, by reason of his residence in the vicinity or his usual occupation, he will be available to render active service as a volunteer fireman in the Village or in territory which is afforded fire protection pursuant to a contract for fire protection by the Fire Co. Inc. of the Village thereof. Such authorization shall be pursuant to the by-Laws of the Corp; otherwise by a three-fourths (3/4) of the members of the Corp. present and voting at a regular meeting or special meeting thereof. The membership of any volunteer member elected pursuant to the provisions of the subdivision shall terminate when the member cannot meet either the requirements of this subdivision or the residence requirements of Article III, Section 2.
Section 7: All new members must be on probation for one (1) year. Members must complete their yearly OSHA training or be subject to review by the Fire Chief and board of directors. Must start to attend
a NYS approved fire school within one (1) year and complete by 18 months.
Section 8: No person shall be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, national origin, handicap, sex, age, sexual preference or marital status.
Section 9: Within one (1) year, a new member may be expelled for charges brought by any member of his respective Company and voted upon and approved by seventy-five percent (75%) of members present at a meeting of that Company and approval of the Corporation.
Section 10: A candidate for transfer must fill out the proper application. He must also have a letter of recommendation for the company that he is leaving. The company to which he is transferring to must vote on him as if he were a new member.
Section 11: All applications for membership in the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE CO., INC. to be given to the Chairman of the Investigating Committee. Such Committee will present the application at the next regular Corporation meeting for approval. If favorable, applicant will be assigned to a Company of their choice, if said Company also approves the application.
Section 12: All members of the Gowanda Volunteer Fire Department who will be driving fire apparatus must possess a valid New York State drivers license; a minimum of class 5 being required to drive any piece of equipment.
New members who will be driving fire apparatus will be required to present proof of a valid license before any driver training is given.
If, for any reason, a members license is revoked or suspended, the said member will be required to inform the Fire Chief, at which time the members driving privileges will be suspended. Upon reinstatement of drivers license, legal proof of said reinstatement must be presented to the Fire Chief at which time driving privileges will be reinstated. If the member fails to notify the Chief, they will be subject to suspension or expulsion.
Section 13: It is understood that at no time any member of the Gowanda Volunteer Fire Co. be discriminated against or will any type of harassment be tolerated on the premises or on the fire ground or any fire dept. function. This type of behavior will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Board of Directors and to the proper law enforcement authority as appropriate. The Board of Directors will review and apply the appropriate discipline.
ARTICLE
IV
Officers
Section 1: The officers of the Corp. shall consist of the:
President
Vice President
Chief
First Assistant Chief
Second Assistant Chief
Secretary
Treasurer
Sergeant-at-Arms
5 Directors
5 Alternate Directors
Section 2: The officers of each Company shall consist of:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Captain
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Section 3: The officers of Fire Police shall consist of:
Captain
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Secretary
Section 4: The term of all officers shall be one (1) year.
Section 5: Any vacancies occurring for any reason in any Company office shall be filled by an election at the next regular meeting of the Company, for the balance of the unexpired term.
Section 6: Any vacancies occurring in any elected Corp. office shall be filled by a Corp. election.
with the exception being a director vacancy, which will be filled by a company nomination.
ARTICLE
V
Qualifications of Officers
Section 1: Company Officers; Any member who shall have been in good standing and active for one (1) year.
Section 2: The Chief, First or Second Assistant Chief must have been an active member of any fire company for five (5) years and be a member of the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER
FIRE COMPANY for one (1) year and held a line officer position in the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. Member must be a bonifide resident of the village of Gowanda or duly approved fire district thereof.
Section 3: The candidate for the nomination or appointment of Chief must qualify as in Article V, Section 2 and, in addition shall at sometime have held the office of First Assistant Chief or Second Assistant Chief of the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, INC.
Section 4: The candidate for the nomination of First or Second Assistant Chief must have held a line office, e.g. Captain, First Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant for at least one (1) year in a Company of the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, INC.
Section 5: The candidate for the Board of Directors must be an active member for at least five (5) years and be in good standing.
ARTICLE
VI
Nominations
Section 1: The names of all candidates for the nomination of President, Vice President, Secretary, treasurer , Sergeant-at-Arms, Director, Chief, First, Second Assistant Chief shall be submitted to the Corp. no later than the March meeting of the Corporation.
Section 2: Not more than one (1) candidate for the office of Chief, First, or Second Assistant Chief shall be a nominated by a Company from its own membership, but any Company may, if it so elects, nominate a candidate from some other Company.
Section 3: All Companies shall nominate their officers at the regular March meeting of said company.
Section 4: Each Company may nominate one (1) candidate for each of the offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Board of Directors.
ARTICLE
VII
Election of Officers
Section 1: The election of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chief, First, and Second Assistant Chief shall be held on the Thursday following
the first Tuesday. Election hours to be held from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, by general election ballot of the personnel of the corporation.
Section 2: All members voting must be in good standing in the Corp. and in their respective companies.
Section 3: Each Company shall appoint one (1) member to act as a teller at the time of election, who shall receive the ballot, poll the votes, and announce the results.
Section 4: A vacancy in office of a Director may be filled by an appointment at the next regular company meeting of which the vacancy represents.
Section 5: In the absence of the regular Board member, an alternate shall have the same voting power. The alternate shall be elected each April from each Company along with the other annual elections.
Section 6: Each of the several Companies whose members constitute the GOWANDA VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY, INC. shall hold an annual meeting in April each year. At such meeting, the members of each Company shall elect by ballot from their own number all officers such as President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Captain and all others as provided in Article IV, Sections 2 and 3.
Section 7: Members who are certified as Fire Police shall hold an annual meeting on the First Wednesday in April of each year. At such meeting, the members of the Fire Police shall elect by ballot from their own number, all officers as provided in Article IV, Section 3.
ARTICLE
VIII
Amending the Constitution
Section 1: The Constitution shall not be amended unless the amendments be proposed in writing and posted at a regular Corporation meeting. The proposed amendments shall be voted upon at a Corporation meeting for that purpose, one (1) month thereafter and adopted by consent of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present.
Amended and accepted 3-15-04
4 - 2006
2 - 2007
1-2008