The name of the organization is "Coalition of Federal Ombudsman" or "The Coalition" and the group shall have perpetual existence.
The Coalition of Federal Ombudsman (The Coalition) is organized for the following purposes:
The Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen exists to Support, Assist, Advance, and Edify:
We believe Ombudsmen to be Confidential, Neutral and Independent and strive for fairness when assisting those involved with and impacted by the Federal Government Agencies.
We will promote Ombudsmanship, our own and that of new practitioners, by continuously advancing attitudes, knowledge, skills and experiences.
We recognize and honor the widely divergent constituents we serve, practices we use, and people we are. This breadth of activity, personality and experience, provides valuable exchange and learning.
The Officers of the Executive Committee shall be vested with the power to conduct necessary business for and on behalf of The Coalition.
The officers of The Coalition shall be the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Coordinator. The officers shall constitute the Executive Committee.
The Chair shall preside at meetings of The Coalition, exercising general control over all proceedings and appoint such special committees as are necessary, with confirmation, by majority vote of the Voting Membership at a meeting with a quorum present.
The Chair and his/her designee shall serve as the official spokesperson for the organization.
The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all committees.
The Chair shall call special meetings Coalition as provide herein.
The Vice Chair shall serve in the absence of or during the incapacity of the Chair. The Vice Chair may also act or serve at the specific request of the Chair, and may perform any other specific functions assigned by the Executive Committee.
The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall maintain the official records of The Coalition, including minutes, membership and attendance.
The Secretary shall tally votes not cast by the showing of hands, including secret ballots and any electronic votes.
The Coordinator shall serve to assist The Coalition members and officers on a day-to-day basis, and shall be the contact for the organization's list serve.
The Coordinator shall provide reasonable notice to the membership of all regularly scheduled meetings. In instances where specific official notice is required, the Coordinator shall provide such notice and provide documentation to the Secretary.
The Coordinator shall serve as a general contact for The Coalition to members of the public, federal and state agencies and other professional organizations.
On odd numbered years, at The Coalition's July meeting, the Chair shall appoint a nominating committee of no less than three and no more than five persons. At the September meeting following the committee's appointment, the committee shall present a slate of candidates for the officers named herein. Immediately following the meeting at which the slate of candidates was presented, the coordinator shall post the candidates on the listserv with a reminder that new officers will be elected during the November Annual Meeting.
The term of office for officers shall be for two years. Officers and members of the Board shall be eligible to succeed themselves. The officers shall be elected by the Executive Committee, during the Annual Meeting, on a biannual basis.
Any officer or member of the Voting Membership may be removed or expelled, with or without cause, by a 2/3 majority vote at any meeting called for that purpose. Notice of such meeting shall state the purpose for which the meeting was called, and shall be provided to the officer or member being proposed for removal. If expelled, a report summarizing reasons for such expulsion shall be prepared by the Secretary and a copy thereof served upon the expelled member. Such report shall serve as notice that said person is no longer a representative of The Coalition.
There shall be no compensation for serving as The Coalition's officers, as these are volunteer positions.
The Chair may create the Standing Committees he/she deems necessary to promote the objectives and purposes of The Coalition. Dates and powers assigned to these committees shall be subject to the authority of the Executive Committee. The terms of office of Committee Chairpersons shall be for one year, or until the election or appointment of a successor.
Regular meetings of The Coalition will be held, at a minimum during January, March, May, July, September and November of each year. The November meeting shall be considered the Annual Meeting. The Annual Meeting of The Coalition shall be held at a time and place decided upon by the Chair, with concurrence of the Executive Committee. On odd numbered years, officers of The Coalition shall be elected during the annual meeting.
Special meetings of the Executive Committee or the Voting Membership may be called by the Chair, with concurrence of the officers, or must be called when a majority of the Executive Committee requests same.
An announcement of the time and place of meetings shall be in writing, via the listserv. Notice of special called meetings shall be made not less than thirty (30) days before the date meeting, shall constitute sufficient notice.
A quorum of Coalition shall be constituted when those holding one-quarter (1/4)(25%) the Voting Membership with entitlement to cast votes, are present in person or proxy at the meeting. No business may be transacted until a quorum is present and the announced time of the meeting has passed.
All meetings of The Coalition shall be informal in nature. If a member of the Voting Member shall make a motion, with a supporting second, the meeting shall be conducted in accordance with the Roberts Rules of Order, Revised Edition. Any questions as to the proper interpretation of any of the provisions of these By-laws shall be determined by the Chair.
At all meetings of The Coalition each member of the Voting Membership, entitled to cast his/her vote, may be present in person or in proxy. For a proxy to be effective, said proxy must be an Ombudsman in the member's agency. At the beginning of the meeting, the proxy shall announce to the Chair that he/she is serving as a proxy and provide the name of the Voting Member.
Any person working as an Ombudsman, Alternative Dispute Resolution Specialist or other interested persons for a federal agency maybe a member of The Coalition. Only those persons, who are assigned as Ombudsman on a national basis, or their proxy, may be Voting Members. Others interested in Ombudsmanship may attend the meetings.
The primary governing body of The Coalition shall be the Voting Membership. The Voting Membership shall be made up of those Ombudsmen working on a national basis for Federal Agencies. If an Agency has more than one Ombudsman working on a national basis, (i.e. a division by subject matter or agency program) each Ombudsman may be a member of the Voting Membership.
At every meeting, each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote. All elections shall be held and all questions decided by a simple majority vote of the quorum present.
Any member of the Voting Membership that does not participate in a meeting within any calendar year shall be dropped from the roles. Participation may be via proxy.
Participation in The Coalition's activities shall be in person. However, The Coalition reserves the right to authorize participation by means of tele-conferencing and/or conference call. Any costs associated with electronic participation shall be borne by the member's agency.
There shall be no fees assessed for membership in The Coalition. However, The Coalition reserves the right to impose fees, if necessary, in the future, subject to the policies regarding proposed changes to these by-laws and after appropriate notice to members of the Voting Membership. Should any fees by imposed, such must be in full compliance with any applicable federal, state and local statutes and regulations.
In conducting business of The Coalition, voting shall be by raised hands, or upon a majority vote of the Voting Membership, with a quorum present, the vote may be by secret ballot or electronic balloting. When electronic balloting is used, members will have two (2) weeks to submit a vote to the Secretary, following the posting of the need to vote on the list serve.
After due notice, the Voting Membership may amend the By-laws, in whole or in part, with a quorum present, by a majority vote.
A proposed By-law amendment, changes or alteration or repeal shall be in writing, signed by at least two members. No vote shall be taken upon any proposal unless and until all members of the Voting Membership shall receive a thirty-day (30) notice of consideration of any proposed change, alteration, repeal or amendment. To be official, any such notice shall include a copy of the proposed change, alteration, repeal or amendment. Placement of the notice and copy of the proposal on The Coalition's listserv by the Coordinator within the thirty (30) time limit shall constitute notice. In the absence of the Coordinator, the chair may place the notice on the list serve to constitute notice.
