Article 1

Section 1. This Association shall be known as the South Central District Firefighters Association of Texas.

Section 2. The membership shall consist of regularly organized fire departments, paid or volunteer, and industrial fire brigades who meet the standards and training requirements of OSHA 1910.120 for Fire Brigades in the following counties; Aransas, Refugio, Bee, San Patricio, Nueces, Kleberg, Kenedy, Brooks, Jim Hogg, Duval, McMullen, Live Oak and Jim Wells.

Section 2a. Associate Membership shall consist of any organized Fire Department or Industrial Fire Brigade outside the boundaries of the regular district. The dues for the Associate members will be one half (1/2) of the regular district dues. Associate members privileges will be to sit on the floor with discussions, but they will have no vote. Associate members cannot hold office, cannot win the District Racing Trophy, but they can win any racing money.

Section 3. This association shall meet two times per year, with meetings to be held in the Spring (April-May) timeframe and the fall (October-November) timeframe, starting at a time of the host town’s request and meeting the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 4. The Association’s biannual meeting may include a convention at the host town’s request and approval by the Executive Board.

Article 2

Section 1. The Officers of this Association shall consist of a President, 1^st; 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Vice Presidents, and a Secretary-Treasurer, Chaplain and Immediate Past President of the District Association. All officers of this association will be in good standing with a member department and that department will be in good standing with the South Central District. If at any time the status of either the department or officer changes, that officer must renew his status before the next regular meeting or a vacancy is created.

Section 2. The officers of this association will be elected annually at the Fall meeting. These officers will take office after being installed into the position by a Past-President of the Association. Each Department, being a member of the association shall be entitled to three (3) delegates, who are entitled to vote.

Section 3. The President shall preside over the meetings of the Association and perform all duties, incumbent upon presiding officers of deliberate bodies.

Section 4. He shall appoint all regular and any special committees not otherwise provided for by the Constitution.

Section 5. If, in the event, there is a vacancy in the officers of the Association caused by death or otherwise, the remaining officers will be elevated to the next higher position and then the President may appoint a 4^th Vice-President, until the next regular election, when a 4^th Vice-President will be elected for a full term.

Section 6. The President of the Association, for his term, shall appoint the Sergeant-at-Arms and his assistants.

Section 7. At the Fall meeting, the delegation will elect a Mascot for the District Association. The elected Mascot will hold office for a one (1) year term.

Article 3

Section 1. In case of absence, resignation or death, of the President, the Vice-Presidents shall preside in the order on which they were elected.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to keep record of the proceedings of the Association, to receive and receipt for all money due or belonging to it, and to perform such other duties as his office may require.

The active Secretary-Treasurer of the Association shall receive a fee of $200.00 per year to off-set some of his time and expenses.

Section 3. The Secretary shall purchase a Past President’s badge, to be presented to the out-going President at the regular Fall meeting of each year. When the Secretary or Mascot is replaced, the Secretary shall purchase a Past Secretary’s badge or a Past Mascot badge, which will be present to the Past Secretary or Past Mascot at the following Spring Meeting.

Article 4

Section 1. Each Fire Department holding membership in the Association shall be required to pay the Secretary Thirty Five Dollars ($35.00) annually for membership dues. Invoices for these dues will be sent out during January of each year.

Section 2. Any application for membership in this Association shall be recommended and presented by someone holding membership the Association, and shall be accompanied by Thirty-Five Dollar ($35.00) dues. The presentation will be in writing and read at the regular meeting of the Association. Membership will be approved by two-thirds of the votes cast at such meeting.

Section 3. The meeting place of the Association shall be determined, from time to time, by a majority vote of the Association assembled in regular session. In case no one asked for the next meeting, it shall be decided by the Executive Board.

Section 4. In case there are two or more departments asking for the Association meeting place, the department having had the meeting place the lesser number of times shall have preference.

Section 5. Delegates and guests attending any regular meeting of the District Association shall be required to pay a registration fee. Ten percent (10%) of said fee shall be paid to the District Association and ninety (90%) to the department hosting the meeting. The registration fee may be set at any regular meeting of the Association by Sixty percent (60%) of the vote of voting delegates. Fee shall become effective at the next regular meeting.

Section 6. The Host town will give the District Secretary, at the close of registration, the attendance of their convention. This is to be recorded in that day’s convention minutes.

Section 7. This Association shall hold annual Memorial Services at the regular Spring meeting of each year. The department entertaining the Association at such meetings shall furnish wreath and necessary flowers for the Memorial Services. The District Secretary will be responsible for forwarding any names from the Memorial Service to the State Association for inclusion in the State Convention Memorial Services.

Section 8. The president will appoint a racing chairman who will be responsible to record the results and present to the secretary at the end of the day or recording the results of the races. He will also be response to distribute the trophies and monies to the winning departments.

Section 8a. The host town shall race for time, money and trophy providing, they have not practiced racing on the official pumper three weeks prior to the convention.

Article 5

Section 1. Conduct of eligible persons attending a South Central district activity or any part of one, these activities being family oriented, are to promote good will and public relations between our fire departments and between fire departments and the public. We must act like lady-gentleman and be courteous at all times.

Section 2. A person is responsible to himself, his fellow firefighters, his chief and his department. If the person is a guest, he is also responsible to his sponsor, while attending activities pertaining to Article 5, Section 1.

Section 3. A written grievance may be submitted before the next regular organizational meeting.

1. By the chief of the department to the president of the South Central District.

2. Or by a member to his chief and also to the president of the South Central District.

Section 4. The president of the South Central District must call a special organization meeting or present the grievance at the next regular organizational meeting.

Section 5. The chief of each department involved will be notified by letter from the district of the grievance and when and where the organizational meeting will be held to hear it. The grievance will be presented at the meeting and the voters under Article 5 Section 6, will determine the severity of the matter and determine the penalty if any.

Section 6. Persons eligible to vote at the organizational meeting on the matter pertaining to Article 5, Section 5, shall be a maximum of two members of each District Fire Department which is in good standing with the District and who are present at the time of the vote.

Section 7. Penalties may vary from a written warning letter from the district to a suspension of the department from the district for up to two years. This suspension may include: Fire Prevention Posters Contest, Pumper Races, Conventions or any part of, Organizational Meeting and the Burial Association.

Article 6

Section 1. Members and executive board officers are encouraged to support the state association by accepting appointments to boards and committees as requested by the state association executive board. Those members attending meetings with prior approval of the majority members of the executive board will be reimbursed their expenses at the predetermined rate.

Section 2. The membership shall consist of regularly organized fire departments.

Article 7

Section 1. Any Amendment, or change, in this Constitution, after its final adoption, must be presented in writing, and read at a regular meeting of the Association and shall be carried over to the next regular meeting of the Association, when it shall be read again and adopted only be a two-third majority of the votes cast at such meeting.

Reviewed to be accurate March 2006