The MNCORA Executive Board approved the By Laws April 19, 2022
MNCORA By-Laws
Article I
NAME
The name of this organization shall be:
Minnesota
Correctional Officer Retirement Association
Article
II- Purpose
The purpose of this corporation is:
Section
1. *To promote the career field of corrections at the federal, state and county
levels; and
*to support and conduct non-partisan research,
education, and informational activities to increase public awareness of
employment and retirement issues for correctional officers. And
To
monitor legislation seeking to make changes to our pension and to educate
legislators about the effects of proposed changes.
Section
2. The address on file with the Secretary of State’s Office is:
Minnesota Correctional
Officer Retirement Association
5425 152nd Ave
NW
Ramsey, MN 55303
The mailing address of the
Association shall be:
Minnesota Correctional
Officer Retirement Association
5425 152nd Ave
NW
Ramsey, MN 55303
The
mailing address shall be set by, and may be changed as needed, by the
Association’s Executive Board.
Article III
Membership and Dues
Section 1. All persons currently employed as a Correctional
Officer, vested in, or retired from a position that is covered by the PERA Correctional
Plan and their dependents are immediately eligible for associate membership upon
election. To activate membership, all eligible persons must notify MNCORA in
writing via email, letter or text. The notification must include name, place and
times of eligible PERA Correctional Plan employment or former eligible
employment. MNCORA reserves the right to verify information provided. Members
need not reside in Minnesota. MSRS Correctional Officers covered by the MSRS
Correctional Plan may also be accepted.
Section 2. Associate membership is ‘At Will.’ The
MNCORA Executive Board reserves the right to deny or terminate Associate
Membership at any time for any reason. Members have the right to withdraw at
any time.
Section 3. Membership year shall be the calendar
year.
Section 4. Dues. MNCORA is not a dues collecting
organization. Membership is dues free. Furthermore MNCORA does not accept
financial contributions.
Section 5. Communication. Because MNCORA does not
collect dues, communication is done primarily by posting on it’s website at
MNCORA.ORG and it’s links to the MNCORA blog. Concerns and questions may be
addressed by emailing MNCORA at it’s email address on that website.
ARTICLE
IV
MEETINGS
Meeting of the Executive Board
shall be held as follows:
Section 1. Regular meeting
of this Association shall be held quarterly at the time, place and manner to be determined by the Association Executive
Board. Meetings may be held in person, by phone or via electronic means. Notice
of the regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be posted on the
association website as soon as practicable prior to the meeting. Executive
meetings are closed unless prior permission granted.
Section. 2. Special meetings
may be called by the Association President or any of the Executive Board.
Section 3. A
quorum for Executive Board meetings shall be a simple majority of the Executive
Board provided that the meeting is a regularly scheduled meeting or a special meeting
with notice of the meeting being given to all board members.
Section 4. Business of the Association may be
conducted at any Executive meeting of the Association subject to the following
conditions: A. No business of the Association may be moved and voted on unless
one of the following conditions exists: 1. The matter was on the agenda and
communicated to the Board prior to the meeting. 2. The motion is made at a
regularly scheduled meeting and voted on the regularly scheduled meeting.
ARTICLE V
OFFICERS, NOMINATIONS AND
ELECTIONS
Section
1. There shall be three Executive Officers of the Association. The officers of
this Association shall be: a President, a Vice President, and a Director. The
above officers shall be appointed by the founding members to Five-year terms of
office which term commences immediately upon appointment and continues until
successors enter upon their duties. All subsequent Officers of the Association
shall be appointed by the Executive board by majority vote of said board.
Section
2. Nominations other than initial appointments shall be made at a regular or
special meeting of the association. At least fifteen days advanced notice shall
be given by posting on the association website to the membership prior to the
nomination meeting. Any Executive Board Member and/or associate member may nominate
an Executive Board officer for consideration. Only the Executive Board may vote
on and approve nominees.
Section
3. For a member to be eligible for office, a member must be a current or former
Correctional Officer and vested in the PERA Correctional Plan, a current C.O.
paying into the PERA Correctional Plan or a Retiree in the PERA Correctional
Plan or their Beneficiary. CO’s who left the plan and cashed out with no future
benefit are not eligible.
Section
4. Officers shall be appointed by the Executive Board from names nominated by
members, the Advisory Board and/or the Executive Board. At least fifteen days
advanced notice shall be given to the membership by posting on the Association
website prior to appointment of a new Board Member.
Section
5. Vacancies shall be filled by the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VI
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS,
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section
1. The President Shall:
A. Preside at all meetings of the Association and of the
Executive Board.
B. Be a member of all committees.
C. Appoint all standing committees and all special committees
of the Association subject to approval of the Executive Board.
E. Report periodically to the membership regarding the
progress and standing of the Association and regarding the President’s official
acts.
F. Act in the capacity as may be required by board actions.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall:
A. Assist the President in the work of the President’s Office.
B. In the absence of the President, or the Presidents
inability to serve, preside at all meetings and perform the duties otherwise
performed by the President.
C. Act in the capacity as may be required by board actions.
Section
3. The Director shall:
A. Keep an accurate record of the proceeding of all meetings
and of all Executive Board Meetings.
B. Perform other such duties as the Executive Board may
require.
ARTICLE
VII
MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
Section 1. Except to the extent specified in this
Constitution, no officer of this Association shall independently have the power
to act as an agent for or otherwise bind this Association in anyway whatsoever.
No member or group of members or other person or persons shall have the power
to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the Association except to the extent
specifically authorized in writing by the President of this Association or the
Executive Board of this Association.
Article
VIII
Advisory
Board
Section 1. An Advisory Board shall be appointed by the
Executive Board. It shall primarily be composed of members of the PERA
Correctional Plan, but outside people may be appointed from the larger
community if their consul is deemed beneficial to MNCORA.
Section 2. Duties of the Advisory Board. There are no physical meetings of the Advisory Board. On occasion requests
for information, feedback and advice will be sent to the Advisory Board to
better inform MNCORA on issues important to members. Advisory Board members
will provide such information, feedback and advice as needed.
Section 3. There is no set number of Advisory Board Members.
Section 4. The Advisory Board reports solely to the
Executive Board.
Section 5. Advisory Board members serve at the pleasure of
the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This constitution and By-Laws may be amended,
revised, or otherwise changed by unanimous vote of the Executive Board.
Proposed amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws must be read at the prior
regular meeting , or a special meeting of the Association called by the Board.
Adequate and proper notice shall be given to the on line to
the associate membership prior to the date on which the vote is to be taken to
provide for feedback. Changes that impact the terms or duties of the board
shall take effect 30 days after approval.
ARTICLE X
ASSOCIATION
FISCAL YEAR
Section 1. While MNCORA does not accept financial
contributions or charge membership fees, for the purpose of reporting, the
fiscal year shall extend from January 1 through December 31 of the year
following, inclusive.
Approved
April 19, 2022