BYLAWS of the
MID ATLANTIC ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL
PROCESS SERVERS (MAAPPS)
This Association shall be known as the Mid Atlantic Association of Professional Process Servers, hereinafter referred to as MAAPPS.
1. Creating, maintaining and promoting a moral and ethical standard for the profession.
2. Establishing and supporting professional process server education and training
programs.
3. Improving relations between the profession and the legal community and the general
public.
4. Promoting any legislation and/or rule change that will benefit the profession.
5. Opposing any Federal, State or Local Legislation and/or rule change that may harm
the profession.
6. Using any and all means approved by the board of MAAPS
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Section 1. Membership in the MAAPPS shall be open to all persons who have been directly or indirectly affiliated with the profession of process serving for a minimum of one year. Applications must be submitted in accordance with the relevant policies and procedures, as determined by the Board of Directors, and detailed in the Membership Procedures.
Section 2. Classes of membership, requirements of membership and the rights and privileges of different classes of membership shall be defined by the Board of Directors. A Founding Member is defined as a member who has contributed $500.00 and has helped form this association. A Founding Member will also be required to pay yearly dues. A Regular Member is defined as an individual who has a business address in Maryland, Virginia Delaware or the District of Columbia, has been in the process service profession for at least 1 year and has paid their dues in full. An Associate Member is defined as an individual who is actively serving process outside of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware or the District of Columbia or is affiliated with the service of process industry. An Associate Members do not have voting rights. Both Founding Members and Regular Members shall have equal right to cast a vote on any issue brought before the Annual Meeting, including but not limited to the right to cast a ballot for the Officers and Directors of the Association, and the right to seek election to the Board of Directors. Nothing herein, however, shall preclude a Regular, Associate from serving on any committee appointed by the President of the Association.
Section 3. Membership shall not be granted to any person who has been convicted of a felony unless such conviction was officially pardoned or the record of same has been expunged. In addition, membership shall not be granted to any applicant who has had their license, permit or right to serve process revoked by any issuing authority unless said revocation has been pardoned or expunged. Where no official pardon is part of the law, the Board of Directors shall review the application for membership of an applicant and render a final decision. If a felony conviction has occurred, any person may apply for a special waiver.
Section 4. No person shall be denied membership because of their race, color, religion, sex, disability, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
Section 5. Membership may be suspended by the Board of Directors for violation of these
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Bylaws or Code of Ethics or Policy Manual pending a hearing pursuant to the Policy Manual. After review by the Board of Directors, membership can be terminated for just cause, in accordance with the Policy Manual. Section 6. Termination of membership for unpaid dues shall be effective thirty (30) days past the due date for annual dues.
Section 1. The annual dues shall be determined by the Board of Directors and shall
remain in effect until changed.
Section 2. The fiscal year shall be July 1 to June 30 of the following year.
ARTICLE V- ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Officers shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Terms of each office shall be one year.
Section 2. No member shall be eligible to be an Officer or Director until they have been a
Regular Member for one year with the exception of Founding Members.
Section 3. No member shall be eligible for the Office of President until the member has
served one year as an Officer or Director.
Section 4. The immediate Past President shall serve one year on the Board of Directors
with voting privileges unless the President has a second term.
Section 5. Six (6) directors shall be elected unless the current President is re- elected; in
which event five (5) directors shall be elected. The initial six directors for the Association shall be elected as follows: Three directors shall be elected for one year terms, and three directors for two year terms. Thereafter, all directors will be elected to one year terms.
Section 6. All Past Presidents will sit on an Advisory Board who will advise the President, but who do not have to sit in on all Board meetings unless by special invitation. The Past Presidents do not have Board voting privileges unless performing duties as a director.
Section 7. Officers shall be elected by the majority vote of the members present at The Annual Conference. Directors shall be elected in a single ballot with each member casting one vote for each seat to be filled. Nominees receiving the
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highest plurality of votes will fill all seats in the order of the total votes received. Majority vote shall not be required. No proxies shall be allowed.
Section 8. At no time shall more than one (1) officers or directors be from the same office
or agency.
Section 9. Section eight (8) may be excused if there are no members qualified for or interested in the position of an officer or director as outlined.
Section 10. No member shall hold the office of the President for more than two (2)
consecutive terms.
Section 11. A vacancy in any office or directorship shall be filled by the Board Of Directors.
Section 12. Election of Officers and Directors shall be conducted by the election committee in accordance with the Bylaws. Said election shall be conducted annually at the annual meeting.
Section 13. At all times there are to be at least one Board member for each state.
ARTICLE VI- DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The administration and management of the MAAPPS shall be controlled by the Board of Directors consisting of the Officers and Directors. They shall have the authority to do any and all things necessary for the administration of the MAAPPS. Decisions shall be reached by the majority of the Board of Directors present. No proxy voting shall be allowed.
Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings, shall make all Committee appointments that are deemed necessary to run the MAAPPS and shall submit at the Annual Conference an annual report describing programs and Board actions.
Section 3. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the office of the President whenever the President is unable to do so. The Vice President shall serve as a Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, a standing committee established by the Association's Board to monitor internal and external conditions that will impact activities of the Association, and draft a plan of activities for the Association to engage in to meet future needs of the industry. This will provide the Vice President with the necessary experience to assume the Office of President when the current President 's term ends.
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Section 4. The Secretary shall cause to be recorded the minutes of all Board meetings
and annual conferences.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall be responsible for carrying out all fiscal policies and procedures adopted by the Board. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation of financial statements and presentations of these to the Board at each regular board meeting; and shall submit a written report at the annual conference.
Section 6. A petition, signed by signatures representing twenty (20) percent of the total
votes eligible to vote at the time in the MAAPPS requesting the holding of election for the purpose of recalling a member of the Board or any Officer, may be e mailed and filed at any time with the secretary. If recall is for the Secretary, the petition shall be filed with the President. After verifications of signatures, the President shall certify the petition and immediately direct a
ballot be mailed and emailed to each member. The ballot shall read as follows.
Section 7. The Board shall adopt procedures for the arbitration of grievances. All members are bound by the arbitration and grievance procedures as adopted by the Board.
Section 1. An Annual Conference shall be held. During the Annual Conference, the Annual Business Meeting will be held. At the Annual Business Meeting Shall (Name of Officer/Director) Be Recalled? YES NO A "yes" vote shall be counted as for the recall and a "no" vote shall be counted as against the recall. Only members in good standing shall be entitled to vote at such election. Such a recall shall require at least two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of executed ballots received by the Secretary or President within fifteen (15) days of the mailing of the ballots. If a recall is successful, the Board shall fill the vacancy at its next meeting.
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Officers reports, committee reports, election of Officers and Directors and any new or old business as the membership sees fit will be discussed at the meeting.
Section 2. Board meetings shall be called by the President. In order to transact any business or take any official action at a Board Meeting, a quorum of at least six (6) members of the Board of Directors, including a minimum of at least three (3) elected officers, must be present. A Board meeting must be called within thirty (30) days, if requested by any three members of the Board, or if petitioned for by a majority of members. The membership shall be notified of all regular board meetings.
Section 3. Special meetings of the Board may be held by mail, telecommunications or
email.
Section 4. Members shall be admitted to all meetings and conferences except executive
sessions as observers, unless called upon. Non-members may be admitted to all meetings and conferences unless disapproved by a majority of the members present. Only meetings involving the personal affairs of any individual may be held in executive session.
Section 5. Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with the will of the President and
the Board of Directors. If a dispute cannot be settled, the latest Edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of the meetings.
Section 6. Board meetings will be held quarterly unless the President deems more as
needed.
ARTICLE VIII - BYLAW AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Proposed Bylaw amendments must be submitted to the Secretary not less than sixty (60) days prior to the annual conference and published to the members not less than thirty (30) days prior to the annual conference.
Section 2. The Bylaws may be amended or revised by an affirmative two-thirds (2/3) vote of the membership present at the annual conference.
Section 3. Bylaw amendments or revisions may be acted upon only at the time in the conference agenda unless a majority of the membership present at the time agrees to a later time for further action on them.