ECN Bylaws

Elder Care Network Bylaws

Table of Contents:

1. Name

2. Mission

3. Membership

4. Dues

5. Executive Committee

6. Steering Committee

7. Standing Committees

1. Education/Outreach Committee

2. Family Connection Committee

3. Nominating Committee

4. Phone Committee

5. Publication Committee

6. Website Committee

8. Mission

9. Voting

10. Proxy Votes

11. Annual Meeting

12. Fiscal year

13. Amendments

14. Dissolution

Articles:

1. Name:

1. Elder Care Network of Larimer County.

2. Abbreviation: ECN.

2. Mission:

1. The mission of the Elder Care Network is to help families join with their elders to plan for transitions, explore options and support life choices. The network is a collaboration of family members and community professionals from the private, public and non-profit sectors of Larimer County who host and promote activities to assist caregivers in making informed choices.

3. Membership:

1. Family caregivers or professional providers to family caregivers who are active on at least one committee. Level of activity is determined by committee. The committee Chair is responsible for monitoring level of activity.

4. Dues:

1. Amount: $25/annually.

2. Dues are to be paid on January 1st and no later than March 1st.

3. Dues not received by March 1st may terminate payee’s membership.

4. Professional providers pay dues. Family caregivers are exempt. If a person is a family caregiver and a professional provider he/she is to pay dues.

5. Dues are charged per individual and cover up to 2 people from the same company. Each additional person beyond 2 people per company pay dues of $25 each per year.

6. Dues primarily cover expenses for semi-annual meetings and networking events.

7. Members starting membership with ECN during the first 3 quarters of the calendar year are responsible for paying dues upon joining ECN. New members starting in the 4th quarter of the calendar year may wait to pay dues until the beginning of the year at the regularly scheduled collection date.

5. Executive Committee:

1. Duration of term for each Executive Committee position is one year.

2. Members holding executive Chair or Vice-Chair positions may not hold position for consecutive terms. Members holding executive Treasurer or Secretary positions may hold position for one or more consecutive terms.

3. In the spirit of maximizing ECN member participation, the Executive Committee members may not chair standing committees.

4. Chair: Responsibilities include:

1. To act as Chair of the Executive Committee and presides over Executive meetings;

2. To preside over Steering Committee and develops those agendas in consultation with others;

3. To monitor functioning and accountability of committees and other members of the Executive Committee;

4. To act as spokesperson for ECN when needed;

5. To introduce new members to Steering Committee;

6. To answer prospective members’ inquiries regarding ECN;

7. To provide new members a welcome packet with information about ECN.

5. Vice Chair: Responsibilities include:

1. To act as second officer of the Steering Committee;

2. To assume the responsibilities of the chair in the absences of the chair;

3. To consult with the chair concerning the functioning of the committees;

4. To introduce new members of ECN to the functioning of the network;

5. To answer prospective members’ inquiries regarding ECN;

6. To assume role of Chair upon completion of Chair’s term;

7. To assemble and distributes orientation materials to prospective members.

6. Treasurer: Responsibilities include:

1. To act as third officer of ECN Executive Committee;

2. To maintain ECN fiscal records;

3. To keep account of all monies received and expended on behalf of ECN and maintain an accurate current balance of the ECN account as managed by the Foundation on Aging (FOA);

4. To provide complete financial statements to ECN Steering Committee, not less than quarterly;

5. To maintain an accurate roster of all individuals or groups who have:

1. made contributions to ECN;

2. paid required dues to ECN;

3. paid for sponsorships of ECN events;

Such records must be maintained on an annual calendar year basis;

6. To oversee disbursements made on behalf of ECN by the FOA Treasurer;

1. The ECN Treasurer shall not authorize disbursement of funds except by approval of the Executive Committee as noted in the Executive Committee minutes;

2. Any disbursements in excess of $250.00 must be approved by vote of the Steering Committee;

7. To assume responsibility for development and proposal of annual budget to Steering Committee.

7. Secretary: Responsibilities include:

1. To serve as member of the Executive Committee;

2. To send meeting reminders to the members of the Executive and Steering Committees;

3. To maintain record of attendance of members at Executive Committee and Steering Committee meetings;

4. To prepare minutes of Executive Committee and Steering Committee meetings and maintain a book of all minutes;

5. To maintain file of all official correspondence that is related to the Executive Committee and the Steering Committee;

6. To exhibit upon reasonable notice the bylaws, minutes of Executive Committee and/or Steering Committee meetings and other committee records to any ECN member or affiliated organization or individual with right of access.

6. Steering Committee:

1. Structure: The Steering Committee acts as the Board of Directors and includes the following:

1. Chairperson

2. Vice Chairperson

3. Treasurer

4. Secretary

5. Chairpersons from each committee

6. One (1) additional representative from each committee

7. Two (2) At Large members

2. Responsibilities: The Responsibilities of the Steering Committee shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

1. To establish the mission and goals of ECN and to annually evaluate the performance in relation to the mission and goals;

2. To Represent ECN and its interests in the community;

3. To develop and approve ECN budgets;

4. To develop, annually evaluate and approve all programs, policies and procedures for ECN;

5. To appoint standing and ad hoc committees as may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of the Steering Committee;

6. To review annually and amend these bylaws as may be needed;

7. To ensure implementation of program decisions;

8. To orient for new members.

3. Meetings held monthly unless determined otherwise.

4. Open to general members and invited guests.

7. Standing Committees:

1. The Steering Committee may create or terminate committees, standing or ad hoc committees, as needed;

2. Each committee consists of one chairperson, or two co-chairpersons, and members;

3. Each committee is responsible for scheduling meetings as needed;

4. The standing committees include:

1. Education Committee

2. Family Connection Committee

3. Nominating Committee

4. Phone Committee:

5. Publication Committee

6. Website Committee

8. Education Committee:

1. Mission: To provide educational, training and outreach programs and services to adult children of aging parents, family caregivers, and the community. This may involve reaching out to the workplace, faith communities and other organizations in an effort to provide information about aging issues/concerns and appropriate community resources.

9. Family Connection Committee:

1. Mission: To provide a family perspective to the Elder Care Network by honoring and supporting caregivers.

10. Phone Committee:

1. Mission: To provide children of aging parents and others a phone and e-mail resource of referral information regarding services and resources in the community.

11. Nominating Committee:

1. Composed of a minimum of 3 people appointed by the ECN Chair.

2. Mission: Searches for and obtains qualified candidates for Steering Committee and Executive Committee vacancies.

12. Publication Committee:

1. Mission: The primary function of the Publication Committee is to identify topics of information caregivers are in need of and to facilitate the means to deliver that information via various publication opportunities. Although there certainly are opportunities for those who would like to write articles for publication, the committee is not specifically organized to write the articles. The committee is structured to guide and oversee the publication process. Members meet and discuss topic areas, select writers, and make decisions about the general layout. Coordination is done with the technical individuals who actually complete the graphics and typesetting. The committee seeks input from caregivers to ensure topic areas are relevant and meet needs. The committee meets on a flexible schedule depending upon the current project(s).

13. Website Committee:

1. Mission: To provide educational materials, updates and improvements for the website at www.eldercarenet.org. The website is user-friendly and interactive; it contains information that is comprehensive and inclusive, with an emphasis on local information and issues. The website supports the activities and purposes of the Elder Care Network. The committee is composed of both technical persons and the support persons who provide the content for the website.

14. Voting:

1. Voting on day-to-day issues within ECN:

1. 50% of Steering Committee constitutes a quorum.

2. Majority rules.

2. Voting on Executive Committee positions:

1. Officer elections held at annual meeting.

2. Newly appointed officer roles begin by July 1st.

3. Those members present constitute a quorum.

4. Majority rules.

3. Proxy Votes: Proxy votes will not be considered.

15. Annual Meeting:

1. Annual meetings are typically held in the 1st week of June each year.

16. Fiscal Year:

The fiscal year for the Elder Care Network will be the calendar year.

17. Amendments:

1. Recommendations for amendments to the bylaws must be presented to the Steering Committee for review and approval for presentation to the membership at large.

2. Recommendations approved by the Steering Committee are presented to the membership at large at the annual meeting.

3. Recommendations for amendments are voted upon at the annual meeting.

4. Those members present constitute a quorum.

5. Majority rules.

18. Dissolution:

1. The ECN may be dissolved by a majority vote of all members present at the annual meeting or special meeting called for that purpose, but 30 days advance notice of such proposed action must be given to all members.

2. In case of dissolution, the Executive Committee of the ECN will maintain records of the ECN for a reasonable amount of time.

3. All assets or property of ECN at the time of dissolution, after payment of all debts, shall be disposed of and distributed by the Steering Committee to tax exempt agencies/organizations whose mission is to provide services/programs for older adults.