Bylaws-2012

BY-LAWS

of the

JACKSON COUNTY OSTEOPATHIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Old- Red, New-(Blue)

Revision – May 1998 (January 2012)

ARTICLE I

NAME

Section 1.01 -- The Jackson County Osteopathic Medical Association is a not for profit corporation under the State of Missouri with the name Jackson County Osteopathic Medical Association, Inc., hereafter referred to as "J. C. O. M. A."

SEAL AND LOGO

Section 1.02 -- The J. C. O. M. A. shall have a seal and/or logo of such design as the Board of Governors adopts.

PRINCIPAL OFFICE

Section 1.03 -- the principal office of the J. C. O. M. A. shall be as determined by the Board of Governors.

MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.04 -- Membership shall be composed of Active, Associate, Honorary Life, Retired, Life Membership, and Complimentary.

ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.05 -- An applicant for Active Membership shall be a graduate of a College of Osteopathic Medicine and licensed to practice by the Board of Healing Arts of the State of Missouri. and have an office within the confines of Jackson County. (The applicant shall also have demonstrated an interest in Osteopathic Medicine and support of the osteopathic profession.)

Applications for membership shall be made in writing to the Secretary -- Treasurer of the J. C. O. M. A. on the prescribed form. The Secretary -- Treasurer shall submit all applications to the Board of Governors for the recommendations. The applicant is to be voted on at the next regular meeting of the J. C. O. M. A. An applicant is rejected for membership on five (5) dissenting votes.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.0 6 -- By specific action of the Board of Governors, Associate Membership may be granted to such (not to Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, nor to students of a College of Osteopathic Medicine) teaching, research, administrative or executive employees of approved Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine or of Osteopathic Hospitals approved by the A. O. A. and administrative employees of this Association. Such Associate Member shall not be eligible to any of the offices of this Association nor shall they be able to vote.

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.07 -- Honorary Life Membership in the J. C. O. M. A. may be granted to any member by unanimous action of the Board of Governors as an award for meritorious service in the interest of Osteopathic Medicine. It shall be granted only as a distinguished service award.

RETIRED MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.08 -- Retired Membership in the J. C. O. M. A. may be granted to any member was in good standing of the J. C. O. M. A., or another local regional association, for ten (10) years immediately preceding, and is no longer practicing medicine. Such retired member shall be able to vote.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.09 -- A member who has reached the age of sixty-five (65) years and who is in good standing in the J. C. O. M. A. for twenty-five years (25) immediately preceding, may be elected by the Board of Governors to Life Membership. Such members shall have all the privileges and duties of regular members.

COMPLIMENTARY MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.10 -- Complimentary Membership may be granted by the Board of Governors as an award for those who are deserving but unable to pay dues for the current year. Such member shall have all the privileges of active members.

DELINQUENCIES AND REINSTATEMENTS

Section 11.01 - A member whose dues remain unpaid for six (6) from the beginning of the fiscal year shall become suspended and forfeit all membership privileges but may be reinstated after suspension, provided dues are paid in full for the current year. Otherwise, the member shall be dropped from the membership.

DISCIPLINE

Section 111.01 -- All matters of discipline or grievances shall be referred to the Grievance Committee. The agreement shall be submitted in writing and shall be substantiated with evidence to sustain the grievance. Any act of violation of the Code of Ethics of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons or any gross unprofessional conduct may be considered in a grievance against the J. C. O. M. A. The Board of Governors shall in all occasions, however, have the final decision.

A member who has been suspended or expelled may be reinstated upon giving satisfactory evidence to the Grievance Committee of compliance to the rules of the membership and divesting himself/herself of the grievance has charged and approved by majority vote of the Board of Governors.

ARTICLE II

DUES

Section 1.01 -- Dues for the Active Membership in the J. C. O. M. A. shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00) per annum. For a physican beginning practice is scheduled would be: the first year is fifty dollars ($50.00), second year is one hundred dollars ($100.00), and the third year is full dues of two hundred dollars ($200.00).

The dues for Associate and Retired Membership in the J. C. O. M. A. shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) per annum. There shall be no dues for life members.

Exemption in whole or in part on payment of dues may be granted by the Board of Governors where undue hardship is found to exist. Annual dues shall be due at the beginning of fiscal year, which starts the first of September. Interns and residents will not be charged dues.

It shall be permissible for an Osteopathic physician or surgeon entering practice in Jackson County to apply for membership during the current year. Full dues shall be paid in the first six (6) months of the year. Dues will be waived during the last six months (6) months of the year.

SPECIAL ASSESSMENT

Section 11 -- The Board of Governors may recommend special assessments to be voted on by the membership after they have been given thirty (30) days notice prior to the voting. An announcement at any regular meeting of the proposed assessment shall be considered sufficient notice. The assessment so levied shall become part of the dues of the current fiscal year in which the assessment is made, no assessment to be in excess of regular dues.

Article III

MEETINGS

Section I -- The annual meeting the J. C. O. M. A. shall be held in
September (January) of each year at which time the new officers will shall assume their duties.

At the April (November) meeting of each year, there will be an election, which time the officers will be elected to assume their duties at the annual meeting. All the members were in attendance and good standing will be eligible to vote at the election. Any members elected at the meeting will not be considered as officers the J. C. O. M. A. until they assume their duties at the annual meeting unless otherwise specified.

Section II -- the J. C. O. M. A. shall hold regular meetings at such time and place as shall be determined by the Board of Governors. The membership shall be notified by letter and/or telephone of such means the Secretary-Treasurer.

Regular meetings shall be held the third Tuesday of the months of September, November, January, and April (or as set by the Board).

Fifteen (15) active/associate members shall constitute a quorum.
(A quorum shall be established by the Chair at each meeting. A simple majority of those present is required to pass motions.)

Article IV

OFFICERS ELIGIBILITY

Section 1 -- Any member who is a good standing with his/her local, state and national organizations and whose office is or practices in a hospital within the confines of Jackson county who has attended at least fifty percent (50%) of the regular meetings for the preceding year of the J. C. O. M. A. is eligible to hold office.

Section II -- The officers of the J. C. O. M. A. shall be President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Past-President. No member shall hold more than one elective office in the Association at one time.

The President-elect shall automatically be installed as President at the annual meeting which terminates tenure of office of the preceding President.

The President-Elect, Vice President, two (2) Members- at- Large shall be elected annually to serve one (1) year or until their successors are elected and installed.

An Executive Secretary may be appointed by the Board of Governors in at the first meeting of the new fiscal year.

A delegate to the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons and an Alternate delegate shall elected each year to serve for a period of two (2) years or until their successors are elected and installed.

A State Trustee and Alternative Trustee to serve as officers of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons have elected every third year to serve for a period three (3) years or until their successors are elected and installed. The State Trustee and Alternate Trustee shall not be elected in the same year.

EXPLANATION: The term of office for the Delegates to the State Association and the Trustee of the State Association is regulated by the By-Laws of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.

Article V

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section I -- the President shall preside at all meetings of the J. C. O. M. A. and all the meetings of the Board of Governors. He/she shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for and shall be a member ex-officio of all committees.

Section II -- the President-Elect shall assist the President in his/her duties.

Section III -- The Vice-President shall officiate in the absence of the President at any regular meetings. In the case of inability of the President to serve during the term of office for which he/she was elected, his/her offices and duties shall evolve upon the President-Elect.

Section IV -- The Secretary -- Treasurer shall keep a record of the transactions of business of the J. C. O. M. A. and of the Board of Governors. He/She shall give to the members of the J. C. O. M. A. or to the members of the Board of Governors, as the case may be, due notice of the time and place of meetings and shall carefully preserve all records and papers of the J. C. O. M. A.

Secretary-Treasurer shall also keep a record of transactions of business of the J. C. O. M. A. He/she shall keep on file an accurate record of all transactions of his/her office, which shall be subject to the examination at any time by the President, or the Board of Governors, and shall make an annual report of the same to the J. C. O. M. A. He/She shall perform such other duties as are prescribed by the Board of Governors, not in conflict with the By-Laws of this Association. Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to employ or enlist such assistance as is necessary for the proper conduct of his/her office, subject to the regulations of the Board of Governors.

The Secretary/Treasurer shall make all collections and have charge of the funds of this Association and shall pay all bills approved by the Board of Governors and the J. C. O. M. A. He/she shall make a report at such time as may be required by the Board of Governors. At the expiration of his/her office, he/she shall deliver to his/her successor all moneys, papers and property the J. C. O. M. A. in his/her possession. All checks drawn in the name of the J. C. O. M. A. must be signed by the Secretary -- Treasurer and countersigned by the President of the J. C. O. M. A. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be may be authorized to draw checks in amounts up to eight hundred dollars ($800.00); greater sums shall require Board approval.

The Secretary-Treasurer shall, at the next regular meeting, report all actions of the Board of Governors, report all matters to the J. C. O. M. A. for which their approval is required, report all moneys collected from the J. C. O. M. A., and report all expenditures involved the performance of the function of the J. C. O. M. A.

Section V -- The Trustee who is elected for a term of three (3) years, beginning with year 2000, shall represent the Jackson County Ostoepathic Medical Association as an officer of the Missouri Association of Ostoepathic Physicians and Surgeons.

It shall be his/her duty to attend all meetings called by the President of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons and perform such duties as are designated to him/her by the State Association representing the J. C. O. M. A.. He/she shall report to the J. C. O. M. A. such action of the Board of Trustees to the State Association when requested by the President or the Board of Governors.

Section VI -- The Alternate Trustee shall be elected for a term of three (3) years, beginning with year 2001.

It shall be the duty of the Alternate Trustee to serve in the absence of Trustee and when so serving, perform all duties as are delegated to the Trustee.

Section VII -- two (2) delegates the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons have elected for a term of two (2) years, they be elected in alternate years, beginning with year 1955.

As the House of Delegates of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons as a policy making body, the Delegates in their actions in this body shall follow the instructions as given to them by the J. C. O. M. A. They shall also report to the J. C. O. M. A. to regular meetings the actions of the House of Delegates of the Missouri Association, pertinent function of the J. C. O. M. A.

Section VIII -- Two (2) Alternate Delegates shall be elected for a term of two (2) years, they been elected in alternate years, beginning with year 1955.

It shall be the duty of the Alternate Delegates to serve when the regular delegate is unable to do so. The duties of the Alternate Delegates shall be the same as those of the Delegates for whom they are substituting.

ARTICLE VI

BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Section 1 -- The Board of Governors shall consist of the President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, State Trustee, Alternate State Trustee, two (2) State Delegates, two (2) Alternate State Delegates, (and) two (2) Members-at-Large, and (three (3) ex-officio, non-voting members. (Additionally, the Board may invite student members of the MOSA chapter at KCUMB-COM and Post-graduate doctors in AOA approved residency programs to attend meetings without vote.)

Two of three ex officio members shall consist of one student representative from the first-year class and one from the second-year class at the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. The names of these representatives shall be submitted by the UHS-COM Student Senate for approval by the Board of Governors. The third ex officio non voting representative will be a member of the house staff of a post-graduate program accredited by the AOA or an osteopathic specialty board. This member will be selected by the house staff who are members of the J. C. O. M. A. Each of the three ex officio members must be J. C. O. M. A. members in the appropriate category.

All members of the Board of Governors shall be members in good standing of the American Osteopathic Association, Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, and the J. C. O. M. A.

Section II -- The duties of the Boards of Governors shall be to conduct such business affairs as shall be delegated to them. They may draw upon the Secretary -- Treasurer for ordinary and necessary expenses, such expenses to be presented at the next regular meeting of the J. C. O. M. A. They shall audit and approve all obligations of the J. C. O. M. A. before such obligations are presented to the J. C. O. M. A. for final approval.

The Board of Governors shall meet quarterly and/or such time as the President may request or by to two members of the Board of Governors upon written and/or telephone request, stating purpose. The Board of Governors shall supervise or approve educational courses.

Records shall be kept of all transactions. A simple majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.

Section III -- The Board of Governors shall have the power to loan or donate Association funds to Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Osteopathic Medical students and/or to areas of public relation after the proposed loan or donation is approved at any regular meeting.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

Section I -- The following committees are standing committees and shall be appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Board of Governors.

BUDGET COMMITTEE
The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Governors, may name a Chairman and appoint at least two (2) members to this committee.

It shall be the duty of this Committee to present the Board of Governors prior to the end of the fiscal year, the budget for the ensuing year. After the budget is approved by the Board of Governors, it is to be presented to the J. C. O. M. A. at their next regular meeting. The Secretary-Treasurer will cause copies of state budget said budget to be distributed at the meeting for which approval of said budget is sought.

GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
The Chairman of this Committee shall be the State Trustee. Two (2) Members-at-Large shall be elected each year. The term of the Chairman shall be three (3) years.

It shall be the duty of the Grievance Committee to take to the Board for resolution cognizance of all questions of ethical nature, it shall investigate charges of any violation of the Code of Ethics or of any unprofessional conduct on the part of any member and shall recommend appropriate penalty to the Board of Governors.

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS COMMITTEE
The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Governors, may appoint the Chairman and two (2) members to this Committee.

It shall be the duty this committee to periodically review the regulating documents of the J. C. O. M. A., receive recommendations for additions or alterations thereto from members or by direction of the President and the Board of Governors, and to prepare in proper parliamentary and legal format all proposals for such alterations or additions. It shall present such properly drafted proposals to the J. C. O. M. A. for action at such time and place as is designated in the regulating document the J. C. O. M. A.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE
The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Governors, may name a Chairman and four (4) members to this Committee.

It shall be the duty of this Committee to prepare a slate of officers to be presented to the membership at the annual election which will be held in April of each year. The officers to be nominated shall be President-Elect, Vice President, one (1) Delegate, and one (1) Alternate Delegate, two (2) Members-at-Large, every three (3) years this Committee shall nominate a Trustee to the State Association and an Alternate Trustee.

It is desirable but this Committee give serious consideration to the personnel nominated, judging their ability to guide the J. C. O. M. A. for the coming year.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
The President, with the advice and consent of the Board of Governors, may name a Chairman and appoint two (2) members to this Committee.

It shall be the duty of this Committee to increase membership of the J. C. O. M. A.

(Committees of the Board shall be appointed by the President as needed to further the work of the Association.)

ARTICLE VIII

RULES OF ORDER

Section I - Meetings of this Association and its subordinate bodies shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order and special rules adopted. Any section found null and void will not effect the remaining articles and/or sections of this document.

ARTICLE IX

CONFLICT OF BY-LAWS

Section I - These By-Laws of the Jackson County Osteopathic Medical Association shall not conflict with the By-Laws of the Missouri Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons but may exceed the same.

ARTICLE X

AMENDMENTS

Section I -- These By-Laws may be amended at any regular meeting of the J. C. O. M. A. by a vote of two thirds (2/3) of the credit members present and voting.

The Secretary -- Treasurer will modify with true copies of the same the Board of Governors who in turn will cause membership of the J. C. O. M. A. to be notified, this notice to be not less than seven (7) days prior to the meeting on which the amendments are submitted for approval.