Regional Chapter Bylaws
Bylaws of the New Madrid Chapter of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Last revised November 2009
Article I. Name and Purpose
1. The name of the organization shall be the New Madrid Chapter of Earthquake Engineering Research
Institute (EERI), hereafter called the New Madrid Chapter.
2. The purpose of the New Madrid Chapter shall be the advancement of the science and profession of
earthquake engineering and life safety by serving public and the members of the EERI within the area of
the Chapter.
3. The actions of the New Madrid Chapter shall be consistent with the provisions as set forth in the
constitution and Bylaws of the National EERI Organization.
Article II. Area and Membership
1. The area of the New Madrid Chapter shall include the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky,
Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, and the regions of Southern Illinois and Southern Indiana.
2. All members of the EERI who subscribe to the Bylaws of the New Madrid Chapter and who have
satisfied current dues requirements of the Chapter, and who are resident in the New Madrid Chapter, shall
be Members of the Chapter. All other members of the EERI whose addresses are within the boundaries
of the Chapter shall be “eligible” Members of the Chapter.
Article III. Dues and Finances
1. The New Madrid Chapter activities shall be financed by annual Chapter dues collected by
the national EERI organization and expense allocations from and as approved by the
national EERI organization.
2. The Board of Directors, at the meeting each September, shall determine annual dues
amount.
Article IV. Governance
1. The officers of the New Madrid Chapter shall be a President, a Vice-President, and a
Secretary/Treasurer, who with the latest resident Past-President and four Directors (eight
individuals) shall constitute a Board of Directors in which the administration of the
Chapter shall be vested.
2. The three officers shall be elected for terms of two years. The terms shall start at the close
of September meeting in even-numbered years and continue until their successors are
elected and assume their offices. In addition to the initial two-year term, the President
shall assume an additional two-year term as Past-President upon the conclusion of the
term as President. The Vice-President becomes the President without balloting.
3. The four Directors shall have two-year terms initiated at the close of the September
Meeting in odd-numbered years. Any unfilled Officer position may be temporarily filled
with an additional Director’s position by vote of the Chapter or by selection of Board.
4. Only Members of the New Madrid Chapter shall be eligible for election to office.
5. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the Vice-President. Other vacancies shall be
filled for the remaining term by the Board of Directors’ appointment. Should a director be elected as
an officer during the term as Director, the vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Board of
Directors.
6. The Board of Directors shall oversee the preparation of the Annual Report, which shall be
submitted to the National EERI Organization.
7. At meeting of the Board of Directors, four (4) members shall constitute a quorum. The Directors
may meet by conference call, but all voting shall be by role call and the minutes submitted and
approved by Directors before any action of a conference-call meeting may take effect.
Article V. Nomination and Election of Officers and Directors
1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of not less than three Chapter members. The Nominating
Committee shall be composed at the August Meeting annually to consider expiring terms of Officers
and Directors.
2. The Nominating Committee shall choose one or more candidates for election to each office and
obtain the consent of each nominee to serve if elected.
3. The Secretary shall send a letter or electronic mail ballot, containing list of official nominees and
a space for a write-in vote for another candidate for each office, to each Member of the New Madrid
Chapter at least 20 days previous to the September Meeting.
4. Ballots returned to the Secretary by the day prior to the announced September Meeting date shall be
counted by three tellers appointed by the President. For each office the candidate receiving the
highest number of votes cast shall be declared elected.
Article VI. Meetings
1. The Board of Directors shall have business meetings approximately once per calendar
quarter from August through May. There should be a minimum of four business meetings
annually that allow Chapter member attendance. Business meetings may be held by
teleconference. Voting of the Board may be conducted by electronic mail, as necessary.
2. Notice of call for a general meeting shall be electronically mailed to all Chapter members
not less than seven days in advance of the meeting date.
3. All business meetings of the New Madrid Chapter Board of Directors shall be governed
by Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, except as provided by these Bylaws.
4. Special meetings may be called by either the President or four Board of Directors.
Conference-call Board Meetings may be called for the same day when five or more
Board members are likely available. Special meetings may be face-to-face or
teleconference.
5. At the August business meeting, the Board shall establish the coming years annual event
or meetings, and establish a committee (new or existing) to coordinate the event.
Article VII. Committees
1. The President each year shall appoint the following committees: Steering Committee, Ways &
Means Committee, and Membership Committee.
NMC Bylaws (rev Nov 2009) – page 2
2. The President shall appoint such other committees or ad-hoc committees as are from time to time
deemed necessary.
Article VIII. Amendments
1. Bylaws may be adopted or amended only by the following procedures.
a. The proposed Bylaws shall be distributed to the New Madrid Chapter members, who shall
be given the opportunity to vote.
b. To become effective it shall receive an affirmative vote of not less than a majority of the
responding members, and the approval of the Board of Directors of the New Madrid Chapter.
Article IX. Assets
1. No part of the net earnings of the New Madrid Chapter shall be used to the benefit of any private
individual and no substantial part of the activities of the New Madrid Chapter shall be carrying on
propaganda and the New Madrid Chapter shall not participate, nor intervene, in any political
campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
2. Upon dissolution of the New Madrid Chapter, the assets remaining after of payment of the debts of
the New Madrid Chapter shall be distributed to such corporation, community fund or foundation,
organized and operated for scientific, and literary or educational purposes.