Constitution and By-Laws

Section 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be the OHIO COUNCIL OF LOCAL SECTIONS OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS, hereafter designated as “Ohio Council.”

Section 2. Objectives. The objectives of the organization are:

a. To provide for a council of the local Sections of the American Society of Civil Engineers located in the State of Ohio, so that the sections may act together on matters of statewide concern, while preserving their present identity and activities.

b. To sense, crystallize, and unify the individual thinking and attitudes of the civil engineering profession in Ohio on matters which concern the profession and public welfare.

c. To act in the public interest to coordinate the activities and present a unified force for the members in professional matters In the State of Ohio such as registration, legislation, regulation, personnel appointments and employment conditions.

d. To provide resources and opportunities for local section officers to meet and exchange information and ideas of mutual concern to improve Local Section programs within the State of Ohio.

Section 1. Membership. Membership in the Ohio Council shall be local Sections of the American Society of Civil Engineers located in the State of Ohio.

Section 2. Each Local Section shall be entitled to two delegates, plus one additional delegate for each full one hundred assigned members above three hundred members. The number of assigned members per Section shall be determined in accordance with the current “ASCE Official Register.” Any revision in the number of delegates shall become effective at the Annual Meeting.

Section 3. Voting Representation. Each Section shall be entitled to one vote for each representative on the Council, either by representative or proxy.

Section 4. Selection of Representatives. Each Local Section shall select its representatives to the Ohio Council in any manner that it desires, one of whom shall be designated as the Senior Delegate. The term of the representatives shall be gin at the opening of the Annual Meeting of the Ohio Council.

Section 5. Ex-Officio Members. All Current Section and Branch Presidents, all past and present national Officers and all past Presidents of the Council who are members of the Ohio Council Sections shall be ex-officio members of the Council with the privilege of voting on all matters except election of officers of the Council. Ex-officio members must be present to vote.

Section 1. Officers. The officers of the Oho Council shall consist of the following:

a. President. The office shall rotate among the Local Sections as outlined in the By-Laws, the President to be elected by the official representatives to the Ohio Council.

b. Vice President. To be elected by the official representatives to the Ohio Council and shall not be a member of the same Local Section as the President.

c. Secretary – Treasurer. To be elected by the official representatives to the Ohio Council.

Section 2. Term. The officers shall serve for a term of one year from the end of an Annual Meeting through the following Annual Meeting.

Section 3. Elections. At the Annual Meeting, the President in office shall hold elections for the new officers and immediately install them.

Section 4. Vacancies. The Vice President shall act in the absence, or inability to serve, of the President.

Section 5. Reports. The President and the Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare and submit any reports required or requested by the National Headquarters and Officers of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Section 1. Committees. The Ohio Council shall have the complete authority to establish standing or special committees, the members of which may be any member, of any grade, of any Local Section in the Ohio Council. The appointment of committees shall be in accordance with the By-Laws.

Section 1. Meetings. The President shall schedule an Annual Meeting each year between September 1 and October 31. Additional regular meetings and the location and the time of all meetings shall be as established by the By-Laws. Special meetings may be held upon 30 days notice by the President, or by written request of one-fourth of the official representation, or by the request of two Local Sections. Request for special meetings shall be made of the Secretary-Treasurer who shall send out written notices of such special meetings containing the purpose and subject matter for discussion.

Section. Action. Action, except for election of officers may be taken by a written vote, in lieu of a called meeting. A minimum of 15 days shall elapse for responses, to permit the Local Sections to take the necessary action, in accordance with their own procedures. If authorized by vote at a Council meeting, the officers may take action at a time subsequent to the meeting and in accordance with the vote.

Section 1. Position. The position, or action, of the Ohio Council on any matter of statewide interest shall be determined by a two-thirds vote of the representation voting. The official position of the Ohio Council shall, for all intents and purposes, represent the position of the Local Sections.

Section 2. Disposition. The official position of the Ohio Council shall be made known in writing to the appropriate authority or authorities, to the member Local Sections to District Council and to National Headquarters, and shall be signed by the President or the Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 1. Assessments. Expenses of the Ohio Council shall be borne by the Local Sections in proportion to their voting representation In the Ohio Council. The amount of annual assessment per each voting representation shall not exceed four-tenths of the annual dues in the National Society for the grade of Member.

Section 1. By-Laws. There shall be appended to the Constitution suitable By-Laws, which shall be come effective after having been approve by two-thirds of the votes of the members of the Ohio Council.

Section 2. Conduct of Meetings. “Roberts Rules of Order” shall be the parliamentary standard of the Ohio Council on all points not otherwise provided for in this Constitution and the By-Laws.

Section 1. Amendments. This Constitution may be amended by the representatives of the Ohio Council by a majority vote of the total representation, but shall not become effective until ratified by two-thirds of the member Local Sections.

Section 1. Ratification. The Constitution, In order to be effective, shall be approved by action of all the Local Sections in the State of Ohio.

Section 1. Approval. The Constitution and all amendments thereto, shall also be subject to the current rules of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Section 1. These By-Laws are authorized by and complement the Constitution of the Ohio Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers hereinafter referred to as “Council”

Section 2. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers of the Council, the most recent past Council President living in Ohio, and as an ex-officio, the District Director regardless of residence.

Section 3. The affairs of Council between regular Council meetings shall be carried on by the Executive Committee so as to meet the objectives of Council.

Section 4. The District Director shall assist and advise Council on all matters pending before the Board of Directors of ASCE that are pertinent to the members in Ohio.

Section 5. The Executive Committee shall periodically revise guidelines for the standing committees listed in Article IV.

Section 1. The senior delegates from each Section shall constitute the Nominating Committee. At least two months prior to the Annual Meeting of Council, the President Shall designate the Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall present to Council at its Annual Meeting a state of candidates selected from the representatives. This state shall be limited to one nominee per office. The office of President shall rotate among the Local Sections. If any newly elected officer’s normal full term as representative of his Local Section expires at the same time as his election, he shall be eligible to continue on the Council as an officer without a new term of appointment from his Local Section, and the normal rotation system for new voting delegates from his Local Section shall be undisturbed. The rotation sequence is: Akron-Canton Section, Cincinnati Section, Dayton Section, Central Ohio Section, Cleveland Section and Toledo Section.

Section 3. Additional nominations may be made from the floor

Section 4. The Election of officers shall be held at the Annual Meeting of Council and be by secret ballot if there is more than one nominee for that particular office.

Section 5. In the event that the office of President is vacated, the Vice President shall fill out the unexpired team. In the event that the office of Vice President is vacated, the office shall remain unfilled for the remainder of the term. Should the office Secretary-Treasurer become vacated, the President, with approval of Executive Committee, shall appoint a temporary Secretary-Treasurer to fill the unexpired term.

Section 6. Filling an unexpired term for six months or more shall be considered a term in office, as called for in Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution.

Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of Council and Executive Committee. He shall appoint all special committees and properly inform the Secretary-Treasurer and the Executive Committee of these appointments. He shall call all regular and special meetings of Council as required by the Constitution and other special meetings which he deems necessary. He shall, with approval of the Executive Committee , appoint all standing committees. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.

Section 2. In the temporary absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall preside and discharge the duties of the President. The Vice President shall chair a committee made up of the senior delegates from each section for the purpose of increased communication. The Vice President shall be a member of the Legislative, Registrations and Personnel Appointments Committees. The Vice President shall identify the names of organizations and individuals for purpose of efficient liaison by each of the Council committees.

Section 3. The Secretary-Treasurer shall attend all meetings of the Council and Executive Committee and record the proceedings of these meetings. The Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish a copy of the minutes of the meetings to all members of the Council, District Director, Presidents of Local Sections and National Headquarters, as soon as practicable after the meetings. The Secretary-Treasurer shall make a record of all standing and special committee meetings and will be charged with distribution of these reports all representatives of Council. The Secretary-Treasurer shall provide Council with a recommended budget for the coming year. The Secretary-Treasurer shall serve as financial officer of Council and shall sign all checks or documents relating to the transfer of moneys and prepare an annual financial report to Council. As soon as practicable after each annual meeting, the Secretary-Treasurer shall notify each Section President of the Local Section’s assessment for the coming year.

Section 4. In the temporary absence or disability of the Secretary-Treasurer from a meeting, the President shall appoint one of the representatives to discharge the duties of the Secretary-Treasurer during the meeting.

Section 1. The President unless otherwise provided herein, shall appoint the members, designate the chairman and outline the duties of al committees subject to approval of the Executive Committee. Such committees shall report directly to the Executive Committee.

Section 2. The standing committees of Council and their duties are:

a. The Executive Committee as Designated in Article1.

b. The Nominating Committee as provided in Article II, Section 1.

c. Committee on legislation consisting of at least one member from each Section and Branch, with at least three members being Ohio Council delegates. This committee shall inform and advise Council and take appropriate action with the consent of the Council or the Executive Committee on all legislation that affects the civil engineering profession in Ohio.

d. Committee on registration and personnel appointments consisting of at least three members which shall inform and advise Council and take appropriate action with the consent of the Council or the Executive Committee on all activities pertaining to registration in the State of Ohio and in activities pertaining to reciprocity between the states, and on all personnel appointments that affects the civil engineering profession in the State of Ohio.

e. Ohio Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award Committee is charged with soliciting project nominations, evaluating nominated projects and selecting projects for the Ohio OCEA Award.

f. History and Heritage Committee is charged with soliciting nominations for Ohio History & Heritage awards and selection winners.

g. The Robert O’Shea Engineering Ethics Award Committee is responsible for publicizing the Engineering Ethics essay competition in Ohio, selecting a winner for the Robert O’Shea Engineering Ethics Award and making arrangements for holding the oral presentation during Council meeting.

h. Senior delegate committee as provided in Article III, Section 2.

Section 3. The President shall be empowered to appoint such special committees as he deems needful at any time or on the majority vote of the representatives at any meeting he shall appoint committees as they direct.

Section 1. Assessments for expenses shall be allocated to the member Sections on the basis of the approved budget. Emergency assessments shall be allocated in the like manner on approval of an emergency budget.

Section 1. The President shall schedule the Annual Meeting as provide in Article V of the Constitution. In addition, the President shall schedule one additional meeting per year. If possible, both of the above meetings shall be held in conjunction with regularly-scheduled District Council Meetings. The order of business of all regularly-scheduled Council meetings shall be forwarded to all Section representatives by the Secretary-Treasurer at least thirsty days prior to the meeting date. Adequate time shall be made available for discussion of late items not included on the advance agenda.

Section 1. The provisions of these By-Laws may be amended at any meeting by a majority vote of the eligible members at that meeting. No prior notice of a change in the By-Laws is required. Amendments to these By-Laws shall not become effective until ratified by two-thirds of the member Local Sections

Section 1. A quorum for the transaction of any business shall consist of at least one delegate from a majority of the Sections in the Ohio Council.

Upon dissolution of the Ohio Council, the assets remaining after the payment of the debts of the Council shall be distributed to the member Local Sections in amounts proportional to their latest annual dues assessment.