KEHA BY-LAWS

ARTICLE 1 – NAME

This Association shall be known as the Kansas Environmental Health Association. It may also be referred to by its initials: KEHA.

ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVE

The Objective of the Kansas Environmental Health Association is to promote competency and effectiveness in sanitarians and other environmentalists engaged in the regulation of the Kansas environment including, but not limited to, food service establishments, commercial food preparation facilities, dairy products businesses, meat processing plants, bakeries, commercial lodging and hotels, swimming pools, water supplies, wastewater treatment and disposal, solid waste collection and disposal, air pollution control, radiation control, hazardous waste materials facilities, recreational camps and public events.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Classes of Membership – There shall be four classes of membership: Active, Honorary, Emeritus and Student.

Section 2. Active Members

A. Eligibility – Any person who is engaged in regulation, education or management of sanitation practices which impact public health or the environment shall be eligible for active membership. In addition to those employed as sanitarian or environmentalist, persons who are advocates of the objective of the association are eligible regardless of employment.

B. Application – Individuals desiring to become active members shall apply using application forms provided by the Association. All applications shall be accompanied by payment of one year’s dues.

C. Privileges – Active members may participate in all proceedings of the Association, hold office, vote for all officers of the Association, and vote on any motions or resolutions brought before the Association subject to specific provisions of these bylaws have right to the floor at annual and special meetings of the Association, and be allowed to attend any meetings of the executive board.

Section 3. Honorary Members

A. Eligibility – Any person deemed by the Executive Board to be entitled to special recognition on the basis of distinguished service to the objective of the Association may be awarded an honorary membership in the Kansas Environmental Health Association. This selection requires concurrence by a minimum of three-fourths of the executive board.

B. Number Limited – No honorary memberships shall be conferred at a time that the number of existing honorary members exceeds five percent of the number of active members.

C. Term – Honorary memberships shall be awarded for the life of the person(s) so honored. Honorary members will be asked to update their status every five years. Honorary memberships may be revoked for cause under the provisions of Article III, Section 6.

D. Privileges – Honorary members shall have all rights of active members except for holding office and voting.

E. Dues Exception – There shall be no membership dues charged to honorary members.

Section 4. Emeritus Members

A. Eligibility – Any active member who has such status for at least ten years is eligible for emeritus membership upon retirement from employment. Retirement may be deemed to exist when no more than twenty-five percent of the person’s income is derived from employment as a sanitarian or environmentalist.

B. Application – An active member desiring emeritus membership must let the Association know of that desire. Emeritus memberships shall be bestowed by the Executive Board at the next occasion of annual dues collection.

C. Privileges – Emeritus members shall have all rights of active members except for holding office and voting.

D. Dues Exemption – There shall be no membership dues charged to emeritus members.

Section 5. Student Members

A. Eligibility – Any person who is a full time student at an accredited higher education institution in Kansas in either undergraduate or graduate work in a curriculum related to public health or environmental studies shall be eligible for student membership.

B. Application – Individuals desiring to become student members shall apply using applications provided by the Association.

C. Privileges – Student members shall have all rights of active members except for holding office and voting.

D. Dues Exemption – There shall be no membership dues charged to student members.

Section 6. Suspension or Expulsion of Members

A. Action – Any member may be suspended or expelled from membership in the Association for reason with a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board. The President shall promptly notify the member of such action and advise him/her regarding the opportunity for appeal. This notification shall be made by mail or electronic mail.

B. Procedure - The President shall notify the suspended or expelled member immediately and give him or her the time and place of the next meeting of the Executive Board, at which time he or she shall be granted an opportunity to be heard provided he or she requests such a hearing within ten (10) days after receipt of the notification letter from the President. At the Executive Board hearing, the suspension or expulsion action may be over-ridden with a two-thirds majority vote. The Executive Board decision shall be final.

ARTICLE IV – DUES

Section 1. Amount of Dues – Active members shall pay annual dues in advance of the membership year which runs from January 1 to December 31. Annual dues shall be set by the Executive Board prior to August 1. Such dues shall be set at a level that will adequately fund the proposed budget presented to the Executive Board. Approval of the budget for the coming year by the membership at the annual meeting constitutes approval of the associated annual dues amount.

Section 2. Notice - A single dues notice will be issued as a part of the annual conference notification and registration form. It shall state “Membership dues for the upcoming year may be paid with registration. Dues do not become delinquent until after December 31. Dues delinquent beyond March 1 will result in automatic membership suspension.”

Section 3. Suspension for Non-Payment of Dues – Such suspension shall be automatic on March 1. Members who have been suspended for non-payment of dues shall not claim Association membership, may not vote in Association matters, may not hold Association office, nor be entitled to receive Association mailings.

Section 4. Reinstatement of Members Suspended for Non-payment of Dues - Upon payment of dues such members suspended for less than a year, are considered to be reinstated with full restoration of privileges. An exception to this restoration is the right to hold office when the vacancy by suspension has been filled by another appointed or elected active member. The Association is not responsible for replacing lost benefits during the period of suspension, such as mailings or notifications. If a member has been suspended for non-payment of dues in excess of one year, all unpaid dues which would have accrued during the period must be paid to achieve restoration of active membership. In individual cases where non-payment of dues suspension exceeds two years, the Executive Board may approve a waiver of back dues in excess of two years.

Section 5. Pro-Rating of Dues Prohibited – No pro-rating of dues for a portion of a year shall be permitted. An individual joining after October 15 shall be considered an active member through the next membership year.

ARTICLE V – CALENDAR YEAR

The calendar year shall begin January 1 and end December 31.

ARTICLE VI – MEETINGS

Section 1. Annual Meetings – There shall be at least one general meeting of the Association each year which shall be known as the annual meeting. The time and place of the next annual meeting shall be set and announced by the Executive Board at least 60 days prior to the meeting.

Section 2. Special Meetings – Additional meetings of the Association may be called by the Executive Board for specific purposes, provided notice of such special meeting is sent to all members at least thirty days in advance of the meeting.

Section 3. Quorum – A quorum at an annual or special meeting shall consist of ten percent of the active membership. Those members present and capable of voting, whether or not they actually vote on a specific matter, shall be counted towards meeting the quorum requirements. Active member voting decisions shall be made on a basis of simple majority of those actually voting on a question.

Section 4. Communication - All communication between the Association and Members shall be by electronic means. A member not having such access must inform the Secretary that they require communication via United States Postal Service at each annual renewal.

ARTICLE VII – OFFICERS

Section 1. Designation – The officers of the Association shall be the President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President (Officer), two Sectional Chairpersons, and a Member-At-Large. When acting collectively, these officers constitute the Executive Board. The same person may serve as both Secretary and Treasurer if so elected by the membership, but would have only one vote as an officer of the Executive Board.

Section 2. Eligibility – Only active members in good standing may act as officers of the Association. There is no prohibition against re-election.

Section 3. Term of Office – The normal term of office is one calendar year starting January 1. In the event that an election cannot be normally carried out or an elected officer is unable to take office, the incumbent officer shall continue in service until a successor is provided in accordance with these bylaws. Voting shall be by written ballot with provisions to accommodate absentee ballots submitted in advance by active members unable to attend the annual meeting.

Section 4. Vacancy – In case of a vacancy in any office excepting President, the Executive Board shall fill the unexpired term by appointment. A vacancy in the office of President shall be filled by the First Vice-President for the remainder of the year. In filling an appointment for Past-President, consideration should be given to the person with the most recent former service as President who is capable of and willing to carry out the functions of the office.

Section 5. Duties of Officers

A. President. The President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Association.

2. Preside at all meetings of the Executive Board.

3. Make all appointments to committees with simple majority approval of the Executive Board.

4. Serve as official representative of the Association except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, and act in that

capacity in all matters for and in behalf of the Association during his or her term of office.

5. Assure that all directives of the Association are carried out.

6. Be an ex-officio member of all standing and ad hoc committees.

7. Serve as the official delegate to any national or state Association where such liaison is required or desirable. The

President may, with concurrence of the Executive Board, appoint any active member

as official alternate delegate.

8. Strive for an orderly and beneficial transfer of authority and duties to his or her successor.

9. Perform such other duties as the Association, custom or parliamentary procedures may require.

B. First Vice-President. The First Vice President shall:

1. Act for the President during his or her absence or at his or her request.

2. Serve as a member of the Executive Board.

3. Serve as chairperson of the conference committee for the annual meeting which will take place during his or her

term of office as First Vice-President.

4. Perform such other duties as the President shall request.

5. Assist the President in any way that is necessary for the orderly transfer of responsibility at the close of the

President’s term of office.

6. Not automatically succeed to the office of President, but may be elected by the membership to such office.

7. Perform such other duties as the Association or Executive Board may require.

C. Second Vice-President. The Second Vice-President shall:

1. Act for the First Vice-President during his or her absence or at his or her request.

2. Serve as a member of the Executive Board.

3. Take oversight responsibility for any newsletters of the Association.

4. Be responsible for written communication and liaison with the International Association of Milk, Food &

Environmental Sanitarians, and with the National Environmental Health Association.

5. Perform such other duties as the President or First Vice-President shall request.

6. Not automatically succeed to the office of First Vice-President, but may be elected by the membership to such

office.

7. Perform such other duties as the Association or Executive Board may require.

D. Secretary. The secretary shall:

1. Keep the minutes of the proceedings of the Association and the Executive Board.

2. Give notice of the annual meeting of the Association, special meetings of the Association, and meeting of the

Executive Board.

3. Handle the official correspondence of the Association and the Executive Board.

4. Send out all notices required by Bylaws, or ordered by the Association or Executive Board.

5. Act as custodian of the official records, books and papers of the Association.

6. Maintain membership records.

7. Perform such other duties as the Association or Executive Board may require.

E. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:

1. Receive all funds collected by the Association.

2. Serve as official custodian of all monetary assets of the Association, holding the same subject to the direction of

the Executive Board.

3. Present the annual accounts for membership approval at each Annual Meeting.

4. Present the current year’s budget to the membership.

5. Discharge all financial obligations of the Association contracted by the Executive Board in accordance with its

official acts as permitted by the bylaws.

6. Perform such other duties as the Association or the Executive Board may require.

ARTICLE VIII – EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1.
Composition of the board shall consist of the President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Past-President, two Sectional Chairpersons and Member at Large.

Section 2. Duties.
The duties of the Executive Board shall be:

A. To determine all administrative policies of the Association.

B. To appoint members to serve on all committees unless otherwise provided for in the bylaws.

C. To direct the administration and affairs of the Association, including adoption of an annual budget and expenditures of monetary assets.

D. To set annual dues for membership.

E. To act for the Association in the interval between annual meetings subject to limitations of bylaws.

Section 3. Meetings.
Meetings of the Executive Board shall:

A. Be held as necessary for proper and orderly conduct of the Association’s business.

B. Be scheduled at least two weeks in advance, with notice given to all Executive Board members, except in emergencies.

C. Require a quorum of at least half the Executive Board members.

ARTICLE IX – SECTIONS

Section 1. Number
There shall be two sections of the Association known as (1) General Sanitation Section and (2) Special Sanitation Section. The Special Sanitation Section shall represent any members who do not consider themselves general sanitarians. At the time of annual dues payments each member shall identify the section to which they wish to affiliate. Additional Sections may be formed if in the opinion of the KEHA Board of Directors enough of a special membership population exists to warrant the new section.

Section 2. Chairperson
Each section shall have a chairperson elected exclusively by the members of that section at the annual meeting. The section chairpersons serve as members of the Executive Board. There is no prohibition against re-election if such be the wishes of the membership.

Section 3. Member-At-Large
The Member-At-Large shall be elected by all members present at the annual meeting. The Member-At-Large will serve as a member of the Executive Board. There is no prohibition against re-election if such be the wishes of the membership.

ARTICLE X – COMMITTEES

Section 1. Committee Chairperson
Each committee chairperson shall be appointed by the President, when approved by majority vote, of the Executive Board. Service is normally for a term of one year, running from annual meeting to annual meeting, but is subject to continuing approval at the Executive Board. There is no limitation on repeating service. The committee chairperson is empowered to select committee members.

Section 2. Standing Committees
The standing committees are:

(1) Audit Committee
(2) Awards Committee
(3) Conference Committee
(4) Continuing Education Committee
(5) Membership Committee
(6) Newsletter Committee
(7) Nominating Committee, and
(8) Scholarship Committee.

Section 3. Additional Committees
The President, with approval of the Executive Board, is empowered to create such additional committees as may be required to advance the best interests of the Association and to enable it to fulfill its objectives.

ARTICLE XI – PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

In all proceedings of the Association, Robert’s Rule of Order shall be followed and shall constitute the official procedures.

ARTICLE XII – AMENDMENTS

These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of all active members present and voting at the annual or a special meeting, provided that written notice of the proposed amendments has been submitted to the Executive Board for review at least 90 days prior to a proposed meeting. Following such review and at least 30 days prior to the meeting, the Secretary shall send by mail or electronic mail, the proposed amendment(s) to all members in good standing.

ARTICLE XIII – DISCONTINUANCE OR DISSOLUTION

Upon discontinuance or dissolution of the Kansas Environmental Health Association, the Executive Board shall, after paying or make provisions for payments of all liabilities of the Association, dispose of all of the assets to the benefit of charitable, educational, or scientific organizations qualifying as non-profit groups by the Internal Revenue Service. Such terminal actions must be ratified by the general membership.

Updated and Amended October 2018
Reformatted in October 2020