BY – LAWS

MUTUAL AID BOX ALARM SYSTEM (MABAS)

DIVISION 103

Article I: Purpose

A.    The organizational bodies known as Walworth County Fire Chiefs Association and MABAS Division 103 will from this day forth be merged and officially be recognized as MABAS Division 103.

B.   To coordinate working relations and capabilities for the effective and efficient provision of mutual aid among all Fire & EMS Departments within MABAS Division 103 and the MABAS Wisconsin Executive Board.

C.  To coordinate and ensure the ability of Division 103 member organizations to respond and recover to identified technical emergency events beyond the capabilities of any individual member agency.

D.  To develop future capabilities as may be identified by Division 103 that will enhance the protection provided to respond and recover to technical, natural and man-made emergencies that could occur in Division 103.

Article II: Participation

A.  Membership shall be made up of Active and Associate members.

1. Active Member: An Active Member is defined as a Fire or EMS

    Department having primary membership in MABAS Division 103 as

    authorized by the MABAS Wisconsin Executive Board.

2. Associate Member: An Associate Member is defined as any other unit

    of local government within Division 103 which provides emergency  

    services or education. Associate Members will have no voting

    privileges.  

B.     Participation shall be contingent upon the following.

1.      Adoption of an ordinance authorizing membership in MABAS.

2.      The execution of the MABAS contract, payment of such sums and under such conditions as set forth in these By-Laws which shall be established by a majority vote of the Active Members of MABAS Division 103.

3.      New participants shall be admitted upon the recommendation of a majority vote of the Active Members of MABAS Division 103.

C. Current Members

1. Active Members

    Bloomfield-Genoa City Fire & Rescue

                            Darien Fire Department

                            Darien Rescue Squad Inc.     

                            City of Delavan Fire Department

                            Town of Delavan Fire Department

                            East Troy Area Emergency Services

                            Elkhorn Area Fire Department

                            Fontana Fire Department

                            Fontana Rescue Squad

                            Lake Geneva Fire Department

    Lauderdale/La Grange Fire Department

                            Town of Linn Fire & EMS

    Lyons Fire Department

    Sharon Fire & Rescue

    Troy Center Fire Department

    Walworth Fire Department

    Whitewater Fire Department

    Williams Bay Fire Department

2. Associate Members

     Aurora-Lakeland Medical Center

     Mercy-Walworth Medical Center

     Walworth County Emergency Management 

     Walworth County Sheriffs Office     

     Gateway Technical College

Article III: Organization

A. Membership Representative

The representative for each Active agency will be a Chief Officer or their                  specified designee.

B. Meetings

1. There shall be four (4) regular meetings held each year. Meetings shall be held in January, April, July and October on the second Wednesday of the month at 19:00. The October meeting shall be designated as the annual meeting. Additional meetings to be called by the President or by a majority vote of the MABAS Division 103 agency representatives.

                        2. Where not otherwise specified in the By-Laws, “Robert’s Rules

of Order” shall govern the conduct of business at all MABAS

Division 103 meetings.

C. Voting

A quorum shall be a majority of the active members present of the MABAS Division 103 representatives. Each active member department shall have only one vote, which can only be cast by the agency representative or the department’s specified designee. The alternate must be designated in accordance with Article III,  

D. Duties of Members

1. Establish operational guidelines for MABAS Division 103.

2. Approve new members.

3. Adopt the annual budget for MABAS Division 103.

4. Authorize any officer or agent to enter into any contract or

    execute and deliver any instrument within the purpose of

    MABAS Division 103 in the name of and on behalf of MABAS

    Division 103.

5. Select an audit committee on an annual basis to review the

    records relating to the collection and distribution of all MABAS

                            Division 103 funds.

6. Authorize any officer or agent to sign checks or other orders for

    payment of money, notes or other evidence of indebtedness

    issued in the name of MABAS Division 103.

            E. Elections of Officers

                         1.  The officers of this association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and Board of Directors.

                    2. The terms of the President, Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer will not exceed more than two (2) consecutive two (2) year terms.

                    3. All officers shall be elected by a written ballot at the Annual Meeting of Division 103 and shall hold office as specified or until their successors have been appointed.

                    4. Vacancies in the Board of Directors or in any office, shall be filled by a vote of the general membership; such appointees to serve for the duration of the term of the individual being replaced or until the next regular election.

                   F. Board of Directors

                   1.  The organization shall be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of five (5) members, three (3) members to be elected for a two (2) year term, two (2) members elected for a one (1) year term.  At succeeding elections, one year members could be elected for (2) year terms.

                   2. The President will be a member of the Board of Directors with no voting privileges.

G. Duties of the President

1. Shall administer the affairs of MABAS Division 103.

2. May sign any instrument authorized by the membership to be

    executed.

3. Shall preside as Chairman at all meetings of the Division and

    perform all duties incidental to the role of President.

4. The President shall appoint a MABAS Wisconsin Representative from

the membership each year. The Representive, President or designee shall represent Division 103 at the MABAS Wisconsin Executive Board.

H. Duties of the Vice President

1. Shall have the same duties as the President when the President

    is absent, incapacitated or has vacated the office.

I. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer

1. Shall keep full minutes of the proceedings at all Division

                            meetings.

2. Shall maintain all the records and correspondence of the

    Division and deliver same to his successor within ten days of

    leaving office.

3. Shall be responsible for the custody of all the assets of the

    Division.

4. All monies of the Division shall be deposited by the Treasurer in

    a chartered bank located in Walworth County WI.

5. Shall supervise the collection and disbursement of all funds and

    shall disburse such funds in accordance with the Division 103 by-

    laws.

Article IV: Property and Equipment

A. All property and equipment acquired by Division 103 shall be owned in

     common by the various jurisdictions of Division 103, unless otherwise

     determined in writing by the parties. Said equipment may be borrowed

     by any member subject to the equipment loan policies of the Division.

                 All installation, maintenance and repair orders for Division 103 equipment

     shall be directed through Division 103. Any member may at any time

     loan property or equipment to Division 103 for use by its members. Such

                 property or equipment shall continue to be owned and insured by the

                 loaning party.

B. The purchase or acquisition of real property by or in the name of

     MABAS Division 103 shall require the approval of a majority of Division 103

     Active Members.

C. Upon resignation from MABAS Division 103, expulsion or dissolution of

     the unit of local government, a Member shall forfeit all rights, title and

     interest to any or all property owned jointly by MABAS Division 103.

Article V: Finances

A. The fiscal year for the Division shall begin October 1 through September 30.

B. Annual dues will be collected at the annual meeting from each member

     department in an amount, which will be established each fiscal year by a vote           

     of the membership.

Article VI: Operational Guidelines

A. Procedures as set forth in the MABAS Division 103 Operating Guidelines.

B. The currently adopted Mutual Aid Box Alarm System – Wisconsin General

    Operating Procedures shall become part of the By-Laws by reference.

Article VII: Committees

A. Committees shall be appointed as needed by the President of the

     Division.

B. The following standing committees are established each of which will

be chaired by a Chief Officer or Director appointed by the President with the consent and approval of the membership:

1. MABAS   

2. By-Laws

3. Budget/Finance/Audit

4. Dispatch/Communications

5. Training

6. Fire Prevention/Public Education

7. Special Response Teams (SRT); HAZMAT, Tech Rescue, Water Rescue.

8. EMS

C.     Ad hoc committees may be established by the President. The President will appoint the chairperson and the members of any such ad hoc committee.

Article VIII: Expulsion or Withdraw

A.     Voluntary Withdraw

Any member department may terminate their membership in Division 103 at    any time, provided that member department has given written notice to the Board of Directors of Division 103. Such notice to be given at least 90 calendar days prior to the specified date of termination of the member.

B. Expulsion of Members

By a vote of the majority of the active members present of the MABAS Division 103 representatives, any member may be expelled for one or more of the following reasons. Such expulsion shall take effect immediately after the required vote.

                        1. Failure to make any payments due to MABAS Division 103.

2. Failure to carry out the obligations of a member which impairs the ability of MABAS Division 103 to carry out its purpose or powers.

3. No member may be expelled except after notice via certified mail from             Division 103 of the alleged failure, along with a responsible opportunity of not less than thirty (30) days resolve the alleged failure. The member may request a hearing before the membership before a decision is made as to whether the expulsion shall take place. All Departments shall be notified via certified mail of an expulsion hearing at least thirty days prior to the scheduled hearing. The President shall set the date for a hearing which shall not be less than fifteen (15) days after the expiration of the time of resolution has passed. A decision by the Division 103 to expel a member after notice a hearing and failure to resolve the alleged defect shall be final.

Article IX: Amendments

A. These By-Laws may be amended by the agreement of a majority of the

MABAS Division 103 active membership. The consideration of any proposed amendments to the by-laws shall be presented to all active members at a meeting and then voted on at the next regular meeting of the Division and a majority of the active members present of the MABAS Division 103 representatives before being adopted.

Article X: Effective Date

Approved and adopted: October 14, 2009

President:________________________

Secretary:________________________