VIRGINIA PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL INSPECTORS ASSOCIATION
                                                            Constitution and By-Laws (as of April 2008)


According to History, these By-laws were adopted November 1962. Amended April 1988, December 1990, December 1994, April 2006, April 2007 and April 2008



ARTICLE I — The Name, Seal, and Address of this Association
Section 1. The name shall be the Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors’ Association; herein and hereafter referred to as the Association.
Section 2. The seal shall be as indicated below:
Section 3. The address shall be that of the Executive Secretary or as otherwise designated by the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE II — Objectives
Section 1. The objectives of the Association are:
A. To participate in the formulation of Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Code provisions.
B. To promote uniform understanding and application of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.
C. To promote and secure uniform inspection methods throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.
D. To promote closer industry unity between code officials, governing agencies and the private sector.
E. To promote and improve the standard of professional plumbing and mechanical inspectors.
F. To provide professional development through an annual education and training seminar which shall be known as the School of Instruction.
G. To encourage growth of the Association by providing enhanced services to its members and by promoting strong leadership values, respect and the pursuit of
common goals.

ARTICLE III — Membership
Section 1. Active membership shall be open to code officials actively engaged in plumbing and/or mechanical code enforcement. Application for membership shall be in writing and submitted to the Executive Secretary.
Section 2. Associate membership shall be open to those persons interested in the design, manufacture, installation or sale of plumbing and/or mechanical systems and who are willing to promote the objectives of the Association. Application for membership shall be in writing, submitted to the Executive Secretary and reviewed by the Board of Directors for approval.
Section 3. Retired membership shall be open to those members submitting written application for retired status to the Executive Secretary.
Section 4. Life membership may be extended only to Active and Associate members who have significantly contributed to promoting the objectives of the Association. Life members may be nominated and approved by the general membership at the third general membership meeting. Life membership shall be limited to one Active member and one Associate member per calendar year.
Section 5. Charter members are those who founded the Association.
Section 6. Honorary membership shall be open to those persons who are not members of the Association but have made a significant contribution in promoting the objectives of the Association. Nominations for Honorary membership shall be in writing, submitted to the Executive Secretary by any member and reviewed by the Board of Directors for approval.
Section 7. All members shall conduct themselves in accordance with the Associations Code of Ethics.

ARTICLE IV — Board of Directors
Section 1. The Association shall be governed by a Board of Directors, herein and hereafter referred to as the Board, which shall consist of the elected officers, District Directors, the Director-at-Large and the Chairperson of each standing committee.
Section 2. The Board shall manage the policies, business, property and affairs of the Association.
Section 3. Officers
A. The officers of the Association shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers shall be Active members and shall be elected and installed during the annual School of Instruction.
B. The officers shall hold office from the close of the annual School of Instruction through the close of the annual School of Instruction of the following year. Officers shall serve no more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Section 4. Directors
A. A total of four active members may be elected as District Directors. The Directors shall be Active members and shall be elected and installed during the annual School of Instruction.
B. The Directors shall hold office from the close of the annual School of Instruction through the close of the annual School of Instruction the following year.
C. Each District shall consist of all cities, towns and counties as outlined in Appendix A.
D. The Director-at-Large shall be the immediate Past President.
E. Non-voting Ex-officio members on the Board of Directors shall include the President, or his or her duly appointed representative, of the Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors, The Virginia Fire Prevention Association, and The Virginia Building Code Officials Association.
Section 5. In the event that an Officer or Director resigns, the Board shall appoint, as soon as possible, an Active member to fill the unexpired term.
Section 6. Appointments
A. An Executive Secretary shall be appointed by the Board for a maximum term of five years or as determined by the Board. Compensation of services rendered shall be as approved by the Board.
B. A Director of Finance shall be appointed by the Board for a maximum term of five years or as determined by the Board. Compensation of services rendered shall be as approved by the Board.
ARTICLE V — Duties of the Officers, Directors, Executive Secretary and Finance Director
Section 1. The President
A. To preside over all meetings.
B. To select all committee chairpersons except the finance and the nominating committees.
C. The President may appoint members to represent the Association on local, state or national committees, boards and similar entities when such representation is requested or provided for by regulation or statute. Appointments shall not conflict with the Association’s by-laws or code of ethics.
D. To be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee.
E. To perform such other duties applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 2. The Vice President
A. To assist the President at all meetings.
B. To preside over all meetings in the absence of the President.
C. To perform such other duties as applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 3. The Secretary
A. To assist the presiding officer with the orders of business and to distribute correspondences to all members present.
B. Notification of meetings.
1. To send to all Board members a notice of every Board meeting at least twenty days in advance of such meeting.
a. Ten days notice, including an agenda, shall be given for all special meetings.
2. To send all members a notice of every General Membership meeting at least thirty days in advance of such meeting.
C. To accurately record all business transacted at all
meetings.
D. To maintain and have available at all meetings the official minute book.
E. To record the voting at all meetings.
F. To send letter ballots to all Board members not present at meetings for which there is no quorum.
G. To perform such other duties as applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.

Section 4. The Treasurer
A. To accurately record and post all funds received and
disbursed. Shall be bonded for at least fifty thousand dollars. The bond premium shall be paid by the Association.
B. To pay all bills that have been approved as per the budget or by the Board.
C. To submit a quarterly report of the Association’s finances to the Finance Committee.
D. To submit a report of the Association’s finances at all meetings, except special meetings unless included in the special meeting agenda.
E. To send all membership renewals by December 1 of each year.
F. To maintain the financial records of the Association on a fiscal year from May 1 through April 30, unless otherwise approved by the Board.
G. To be a standing member of the Finance Committee.
H. To perform such other duties as applicable to the office as prescribed by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Association.
Section 5. The District Director
A. To attend the Board and General Membership Meetings per term of office.
B. To assist in the management of the Association.
C. To report any concerns of the members within their district to the Board.
Section 6. The Executive Secretary
A. To prepare for the Board all business that has not been assigned to others.
B. To present or have presented at all meetings all reports received from committee chairpersons.
C. To recommend plans of work and conduct the general business of the Association under the direction of the Board and the General Membership.
D. To be a standing member of the School of Instruction Committee.
E. To authorize both active and/or retired membership status.
F. To maintain all membership applications.
G. To receive the letter of resignation of an Officer or Director and present it at the next Board meeting.
H. To send to each Director a current roster of all members within their respective districts no more than thirty days after the third General Membership meeting.
I. To maintain and have available at all meetings a current roster which lists only members in good standing by district affiliation.
Section 7. The Director of Finance
A. To coordinate the finances of the Association.
B. To serve as the chairperson of the Finance Committee.

ARTICLE VI — Committees
Section 1. The number of committee members, mentioned below, includes the chairperson. Standing Committee chairpersons are appointed by the President, see previously in the text, Article V, Section 1.B. Standing Committee members are selected by the committee chairperson as stated hereinafter in this Article or are established within the description of the committee. Standing Committee members that are established by the text are in addition to those members appointed and selected. Standing Committees may include, but are not limited to. The following:
A. An Advertising Committee, composed of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to manage an advertising campaign and publish the yearbook for the Association’s School of Instruction.
B. An Auditing Committee, comprised of three members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to audit the Treasurer’s account(s) at the close of the calendar year and report at the fourth regular Board meeting. The Treasurer shall not be a member of this committee.
C. An Awards Committee, comprised of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to select and present, the awards for Outstanding Service to the Active and Associate members of the Association and the awards to the individuals that are the outstanding plumbing and mechanical apprentice of the year.
D. A By-laws Committee, comprised of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to review, discuss, prepare and recommend, to the Association, any necessary changes to the Association’s By-laws in order to maintain current directives for the administration of the Association..
E. A Certification, Education, and Training Committee, comprised of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to organize educational classes for the School of Instruction.
F. A Finance Committee, comprised of three members, the Treasurer and the Finance Director, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to prepare a budget for the fiscal year and submit it to the Board for approval at its last scheduled meeting prior to the third General Membership meeting. The committee may submit amendments to the current budget at any regular meeting. The committee shall prepare and submit any other reports as directed by the Board.
G. A Legislative Committee, composed of three members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to attend as many Virginia General Assembly meetings as possible and to be observant of new regulations. This committee will review, discuss and report to the Board of Directors and the General Membership, any legislature or regulations that will directly or indirectly effect the Association or it’s members.
H. A Membership and Website Committee, comprised of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Member-ship meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to keep the website current and updated. The website shall be the source of Association meetings, dates, membership and advertisement applications, Association and public information and other Association information.
I. A Nominating Committee shall be comprised of the five most immediate past presidents of the Association willing to serve in this capacity. The most immediate past president on the committee shall serve as the chairperson. It shall be the duty of this committee to nominate, at the third General Membership meeting, candidates for the offices to be filled. Before the election, additional nominations from the floor shall be permitted.
J. A Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Code Committee, composed of all Association members willing to participate, the chairperson shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to review, discuss and recommend necessary changes that apply to the Commercial and Residential Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes.
K. A School of Instruction Committee, comprised of the Executive Secretary, the chairperson shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to plan the program for the next Annual School of Instruction.
L. A Time and Place Committee, comprised of five members, shall be appointed within thirty days after the third General Membership meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee to review the date and location of all General Membership meetings and submit a report and recommendation to the General membership for approval at least twelve months prior to such meeting.
Section 2.. Duties of the Committee Chairperson
A. To submit, in writing, all committee findings and recommendations to the Executive Secretary at least ten days prior to any meeting, except special meetings, unless specified on the agenda. If the chairperson or members of the committee is in attendance at the meeting, such written report shall not be required.
B. To select all committee members not specifically provided for in other sections of these by-laws and report their names to the Executive Secretary within thirty days of their appointment.
Section 3. A Special Ad Hoc Committee shall be appointed for a specific purpose when necessary.
A. The committee shall be under the authority and direction of the Board, unless specifically provided herein.
B. The committee shall be comprised of at least five members.
C. It shall be the duty of this committee to carry out a specified task and present it to the Board.
D. The committee chairperson shall not be granted the voting privileges as a Standing Committee Chairperson.

ARTICLE VII — Voting
Section 1. Only Active, Charter and Lifetime Active members who are in good standing shall have the right to vote.
Section 2. All members shall have the right to make and second motions.
ARTICLE VIII — Meetings
Section 1. Three General Membership meetings shall be held each year. The first shall take place approximately fourteen days prior to or fourteen days after August 1. The second shall take place approximately thirty days prior to or thirty days after November 15. The third shall take place approximately fourteen days prior to or fourteen days after April 1, during the Annual School of Instruction.
Section 2. Four Board meetings shall be held each year at a time and location determined by the President. The first shall be held at least sixty days prior to the first General Membership meeting. The second shall be held at least sixty days prior to the second General Membership meeting. The third on the day of the second General Membership meeting and the fourth at least thirty days prior to the third General Membership meeting. A quorum shall consist of at least seven Board members. Action taken by less than seven Board members shall be null and void unless confirmed by a letter ballot from those members who were absent.
Section 3. Special Board meetings may be called by the President. Such meetings may also be called by the Board with the written request of at least seven members. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. The location of the meeting shall be determined by the President. At least ten days notice shall be given. A quorum shall consist of at least seven Board members. Action taken by less than seven Board members shall be null and void unless confirmed by a letter ballot from those members who were absent.

ARTICLE IX — Dues
Section 1. Annual Dues
A. Active membership shall be thirty dollars per calendar year.
B. Associate membership shall be thirty-five dollars per calendar year except those who have paid for five consecutive years shall only be required to pay thirty dollars per consecutive calendar year thereafter.
C. Retired membership shall be ten dollars per calendar year.
D. Charter and Life membership shall be absorbed by the Association.
Section 2. No members shall be in good standing whose dues are not paid by March 1 of each year and shall not be maintained on the membership roster if not paid by December 31.
Section 3. Dues may only be revised at General Membership meetings.

ARTICLE X — Amendments
Section 1. The Constitution and By-Laws may be amended by two-thirds vote at any General Membership meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing at a previous General Membership meeting.

ARTICLE XI — Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the Association’s final authority on all questions of procedure and parliamentary law not covered by the Constitution and By-Laws nor any special rules of order the Association may adopt.

APPENDIX A — Districts of The Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors Association
District I Shall be the area, including all cities and town that lie therein, created by the counties of Augusta, Arlington, Clark, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Greene, Highland, Loudoun, Madison, Orange, Page, Prince William, Rappahannock, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren.

District II Shall be the area, including all cities and towns that lie therein, created by the counties of Alleghany, Amherst, Appomattox, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Campbell, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Henry, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Russell,
Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe.

District III Shall be the area, including all cities and towns that lie therein, created by the counties of Albemarle, Amelia, Brunswick, Buckingham, Caroline, Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Fluvanna, Goochland, Greensville, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, King George, Louisa, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nelson, Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward, Prince George, Surry and Sussex.

District IV Shall be the area, including all cities and towns that lie therein, created by the counties of Accomack, Charles City, Essex, Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City,
King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northampton, Northumberland, Richmond, Southampton, Suffolk, Westmoreland and York.
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