New England Park Association
• Register Now •

NEPA By-Laws


NEPA By-Laws

CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE

WE MEMBERS OF THE NEW ENGLAND PARK ASSOCIATION, INC., WHICH HAS ITS ORIGINS IN THE NEW ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF PARK SUPERINTENDENTS, FOUNDED IN BOSTON IN 1898 AND IS THE PARENT ORGANIZATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PARK AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PARK EXECUTIVES, INC., AFTER MANY YEARS OF OPERATION WITHOUT WELL DEFINED RULES AND REGULATIONS, DO HEREBY INSTITUTE AND ORDAIN THESE STATEMENTS AS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE NEW ENGLAND PARK ASSOCIATION, INC.

ARTICLE I NAME AND OBJECT

SECTION 1.   The name of this organization shall be the New England Park Association, Inc.

SECTION 2. The objects of this organization shall be the advancement of the theory and practice of proper development, maintenance and administration of park and recreation areas and programs, the professional improvement of its members, and the development of an improved public relations policy.

SECTION 3. This association shall be an affiliate member of the National Recreation and Park Association and recognizes the goals and objectives of the National Recreation and Park Association as stated in its Constitution and By-Laws.

ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1. Membership in the Association shall consist of the following classifications: Honorary Member, Annual Member, Commercial Member, Student Member, and Retired Member.

SECTION 2. Honorary Membership may be conferred on any person who has rendered service, accomplishment, and contribution to the park and recreation movement and/or to the Association or Executive Managers of affiliated State Parks and Recreation Associations. A person holding membership in this classification shall be known as an Honorary Member and shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association except the right to vote and to hold office therein. EXCEPTION: Honorary Members elected from the Annual Members of the Association shall retain their right to vote and hold office. Honorary membership may be conferred on qualified individuals by a majority vote of the Executive Board.

SECTION 3. Membership shall be open to personnel associated with park and recreation systems of New England. A person holding membership in this classification shall be known as an Annual Member and shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association, including the right to vote and hold office.

SECTION 4. Commercial Membership shall be open to any company, organization, or individual who is interested in or contributes to the purpose of the Association. A company, organization, or individual member holding membership in this classification shall be known as a Commercial Member and shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association. Products must be deemed acceptable and appropriate.


SECTION 5. Student Membership shall be open to any person who is currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student in the field of Parks and Recreation at a college or university in New England. A person holding membership in this classification shall be known as a student member and shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association except the right to vote and hold office.

SECTION 6. Any Annual Member or Commercial Member who retires or who is retired from active service in the field of Parks and Recreation shall be continued on the rolls of the Association without payment of dues. Such members shall be known as Retired Members and shall be entitled to all privileges of the Association. Retired Annual Members shall retain the right to vote and hold office. Retirees must be NEPA members in good standing for a minimum of five years. The classification shall not apply to members of Park and/or Recreation commissions who retire from private industry.

SECTION 7. All applications proposed for Annual Member, Commercial Member, and Student Member shall be submitted to the Membership Committee for consideration and recommendation.



ARTICLE III OFFICERS

SECTION 1a. The Officers of the Association shall be President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, Executive Board Clerk, and up to two (2) At Large Members. These Officers shall constitute the Board of Directors, hereinafter referred to as the Board.

SECTION 2. The term of office of the President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Immediate Past President, and Executive Board Clerk shall be held for a period of two
(2) years or until their successor has qualified.

SECTION 3. The 3 at large membership terms will be from the time of appointment until the next Executive Board Election.

ARTICLE IV MEETINGS

SECTION 1. The Annual Meeting for the election of officers, hearing of Annual Reports, and such other business which may properly come before the membership shall be held each year during the months of September, October, or November held in conjunction with the Annual Conference. Written notice of such Annual Meeting shall be given to all members at least thirty (30) days in advance.

SECTION 2. A regular meeting for the conduct of necessary business and the exchange of information pertinent to the Park and Recreation profession shall be held each year during the months of May or June.

SECTION 3. Other regular meetings for all members may be held during the year at the call of the President.

SECTION 4. The Executive Board shall meet at least three times a year to set policy, administer finances and conduct general business for the Association. Additional Executive Board meetings may be called at the request of the President.

SECTION 5. A quorum of the Association shall be 15 voting members in order to conduct business of the Association.  A quorum of the Board shall be five (5) members.

ARTICLE V PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICES

SECTION 1. In the absence of rules in this Constitution or in the By-Laws of this Association, the proceedings of the meetings of the Association and the meetings of the Board shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts’ Rules of Order, revised.

ARTICLE VI AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1. Amendments may be made each year at a regularly scheduled membership meeting by a two/thirds majority of those voting, with the provision that a copy of all proposed amendments shall have been filed with the Board at least sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting and that a copy of the proposed amendments shall have been communicated to each voting member at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.


BY-LAWS

ORDER OF BUSINESS

The order of business shall be determined by the Board, but shall not be in conflict with any section of the Constitution or By-Laws of the Association. The following business shall be conducted at all Annual Meetings:
Roll Call of Officers
Approval of Minutes of the Previous Meeting Reports of Officers and Committees
Election of Officers
Communications, Resolutions, Amendments Old Business
Installation of Officers Presentation of Honorary Awards Appointment of Committees New Business
Adjournment


ELECTION OF OFFICERS

The Officers shall be nominated at the Annual Meeting with the election of Officers and Directors following the close of nominations.

The Nominating Committee shall communicate prior to the Annual Meeting and shall present at the Annual Meeting a slate of nominees, one for each office to be filled.

After presentation of the Nominating Committee’s report, further nominations may be made from the floor. These nominations shall be made prior to any action taken to close the nominations.

The election shall be by show of hands vote with the person receiving a majority of the votes cast being declared elected.

Whenever a vacancy occurs in the office of the President, the President-Elect shall succeed to that office for the unexpired term. In the event of a vacancy in an office other than President, or President-Elect, the Executive Board shall select a successor for the unexpired term


DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES

PRESIDENT: The President shall perform the usual duties of such office in directing the affairs of the Association; and shall appoint all standing and special committees.

1ST VICE PRESIDENT: The 1st Vice President shall assist the President in directing the affairs of the Association; shall act in the President’s absence; shall oversee and be the liaison to the Standing Committees, Conferences and Association special meetings including all programs, certifications and sponsorships.

2ND VICE PRESIDENT: The 2nd Vice President shall assist the President and the 1st Vice President in directing the affairs of the Association; shall act in the absence of the President and 1st Vice President; and shall oversee the membership committee.

SECRETARY: The Secretary shall keep and record the minutes of the Association; shall send notices of meetings, answer correspondence and perform other such duties as required.

TREASURER: The Treasurer shall collect all fees and monies due the Association and deposit same promptly in a depository which shall have the approval of the Board; shall submit to the Board at each meeting, an itemized statement of all bills and claims against the Association; shall keep an accurate account of the receipts, disbursements, and balances on hand which shall be submitted at each meeting of the Board; and shall sign and issue checks to pay such claims against the Board as the Board may approve and order paid. In the absence of the Treasurer, the President or his designee shall be authorized to sign and issue checks subject to Board approval. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for all association ecommerce business and website security certificates. The Treasurer, President, and any other member authorized to sign Association checks shall furnish a surety bond in the amount specified by the Association, the premium on which shall be paid out of the Association Treasury. The Treasurer shall also serve as the Chair of on the Scholarships and Grant Committee.

EXECUTIVE BOARD CLERK: The Executive Board Clerk shall maintain the headquarters of the Association and directly reply to routine daily telephone calls and written correspondence of the Association which is directed to the headquarters; shall be the Clerk of the archives and Clerk of permanent Board and Association records; shall be the Clerk and maintainer of the banner and other Association materials and possessions; shall assist in the membership renewal process and oversee the publication of the membership roster; and shall advise the Board on past procedures and policies of the Association. This position is a voting position on the Executive Committee. This position also has powers of drafting and signing checks. The Executive Board Clerk must work, live, or have easy daily access to the Association’s headquarters and have been a member in good standing for at least five (5) years.

AT LARGE MEMBER (3 MAXIMUM): The Board shall have the authority to appoint up to three (3) At Large Members for special or routine purposes as they deem necessary. The duties of these positions will vary and will be detailed by the Board.  These are voting positions on the Board. The term of service will begin with the appointment, by a majority vote of the Board, and will end with a similar vote or the end of the Board’s two year term. The 1st At Large Member shall hold the position of Membership Chair; and shall annually compile and issue a current Membership Roster to each member of the Association. The 2nd At Large Member shall hold the position of Communications Chair and shall oversee the association newsletter and online websites.

PAST PRESIDENT:  Shall be to assist the incoming president with his/her/their duties, serve as the Nominating Chair, and assist the Executive Board as necessary. This is a voting position.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board shall be the governing body of the Association. Expenditures of the Association shall be authorized by the Board in general terms by the adoption of a budget of income and expense at the beginning of the fiscal year. The Board shall act upon and report with its recommendations to the membership at any meeting any matter which it may deem proper to introduce. All Committees of the Association shall report to the Board. Policy matters of the Association may be submitted to the membership for adoption only after approval by the Board. Policy matters may be instituted upon written request by five (5) members.

COMMITTEES

The president shall appoint such standing or special committees as may be required to further the work of the Association. Chairpersons of all such committees shall be voting members of the Association. All committees shall report to the Board:

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The immediate Past President shall serve as the Nominating Chair and produce a slate of Officers for approval by the Executive Board and to be voted upon by the general membership at the Annual Meeting.

AUDITING COMMITTEE: The Auditing Committee shall consist of two past Presidents appointed by the President who will conduct a bi-annual audit of the Association’s financial records the Association President and Treasurer.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE: The Membership Chair shall be appointed by the President. and serve as the 1st At Large MemberThe Membership Chair is responsible for the recruitment and retention of members and shall keep the appropriate membership records and shall issue annual membership renewal notices.

PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE: The 2nd At Large Member Board shall appoint, a Public Relations Committee consisting of one Communications Specialist/Webmaster; additional members from the association’s membership shall be chosen at the discretion of the Communications Chair. The Committee shall be responsible for promoting the objectives of the Association through the various media, including the association newsletter and website, and disseminating publicity surrounding meetings and awards of the Association to the media.

MEMBERSHIP DUES

Membership dues for the next year shall be presented to and voted upon by the members in attendance at the Annual Meeting. The membership shall be notified in advance of the Annual Meeting, of any proposed change in the dues for the next year. Dues shall be paid in advance on or about January 1st  of the new calendar year. Any member whose dues are not paid by the Annual Meeting shall be notified that their name will be dropped from the Association Roster effective January 1st  of the new calendar year. The Board shall be the power to waive the dues of an individual member who, through illness or other extenuating circumstances, is permanently prevented from employment and thereby is unable to carry the financial responsibilities of membership. The waiving of such dues by the Board shall be renewed annually.

EXPULSION

Any member of the Association may be suspended or expelled on written recommendation of the Board presented at a regular meeting of the Association and adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members present for conduct unbecoming a member of the Association.


MEMBER’S STATUS

The status of the present membership shall be determined in keeping with the provisions of the Constitution and the By-Laws.


AWARDS

Awards given by the Association shall consist of the following classifications:

ROBERT “BILL” SHARKEY AWARD: May be conferred on any member of the Association who has been a member in good standing of the Association for at least ten (10) years and who has rendered outstanding service, accomplishment, and contribution to the Park and Recreation movement and/or to the Association.

NEW ENGLAND PARK ASSOCIATION AWARD: May be conferred on any person, group, or organization who has demonstrated continuing leadership in efforts to improve and/or protect the quality and quantities of opportunities through Park and Recreation programs and projects in the New England region. The recipient may or may not be a member of the Association.

ERIC O’BRIEN COMMERCIAL AWARD: May be conferred on any Associate Member of the Association who has demonstrated willing contribution to help support and promote the Association to other members of related fields; who has made outstanding contributions in helping members with product information; or who has rendered outstanding service, accomplishment, and contribution to the Park and Recreation movement and/or to the Association.

JOHN HOWARD AWARD: This is the most prestigious honor accorded a member of the NEPA.  It is named after John Howard, former Superintendent of Parks in Medford Massachusetts retiring in 1955.  He was Secretary/Treasurer of the association and during his tenure almost doubled the size of the membership.  This award is only awarded to a member who has displayed exemplary and meritorious service in the park field and to the association.  It is the NEPA equivalent to a lifetime achievement award.     


RAY ELLERBROOK AWARD: Ray’s selfless lifestyle was dedicated toward creating a better way of life for others; his leadership, wisdom and friendship has left a significant impression on the membership of the New England Park Association. This award is one of the Association’s highest honors.  It is given to a Professional Member who exemplifies the enthusiasm, passion, and continued commitment to the New England Park Association which was shown by Mr. Ellerbrook during his tenure. The award is for a member, or members, whose dedication to the organization is unsurpassed, and will have a positive impact for years to come.


PRESIDENT’S AWARD: May be conferred upon any member of the Association whose efforts have significantly aided the President or the Board to perform their duties or missions.


Original Drafts and Acceptance, March 1955    Revised, December 1962
Revised, October 1977
Revised, October 1983
Revised, October 1992
Revised, January 2003
Revised, September 2006
Revised, September 2015



Return to Previous List