Constitution & By-Laws

As amended and adopted July 16, 2018

North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association

Constitution and By-Laws

 

ARTICLE I

 

The name of this organization shall be North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association (Association).  It was formed through the merger of the North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association (NCGFOA) and the North Carolina Association of County Finance Officers (NCACFO) on March 1, 2011. 

ARTICLE II

 

The purpose of this Association shall be to promote and improve governmental finance in North Carolina as developed and recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada, the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, the Department of the State Treasurer and other recognized authorities in the field of government administration.

 

The Association should encourage initiatives to:

  • develop mutually understandable procedures of accounting, budgeting, and financial reporting;
  • encourage financial policies to guide decision making by management and elected officials;
  • promote the use of strong internal controls to enhance accountability;
  • maintain the understanding of technological changes that affect financial processes;
  • facilitate the discussion and analysis of financial issues arising under the laws of North Carolina;
  • improve the recruitment, training and professional personal development of qualified government finance officials and their employees;
  • achieve greater success in efficiency and service to the citizenry and constituents of units government;
  • develop closer relationships and understanding among those concerned with government finance in government jurisdictions of North Carolina;
  • identify other matters of mutual interest to government finance officers.

 

The Association shall be an affiliate of the North Carolina League of Municipalities and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, subject to mutual execution of a signed annual agreement for services, if necessary, and the President shall make any appointments or nominations from the relevant membership as requested by those two organizations. 

 

ARTICLE III

 

The Association has four categories of membership: Member, Associate Member, Lifetime Member and Honorary Member.

 

“Member”- Any accounting or financial official, whether elected or appointed, in a government jurisdiction in North Carolina may become a Member of the Association.

 

“Associate Member”- Any person not eligible to be a Member but who is interested in the principles and practices of governmental finance and who subscribes to the purpose of the Association may become an Associate Member of the Association.

 

“Lifetime Member”- Lifetime membership can be approved only by the vote of the members of NCGFOA during a business meeting of the full membership. Requirements to be considered for Lifetime membership are that a member either a) retires with at least 20 years of service in government finance or b) has served as President of the NCGFOA or the NCACFO.

 

“Honorary Member”- Honorary membership can be approved only by the vote of the members of the NCGFOA during a business meeting of the full membership.  Any resident of the State of North Carolina, who in the opinion of the Association has rendered distinguished service to the cause of better government, shall be eligible for honorary membership.  Honorary members shall be entitled to all of the privileges of the Association except that they shall not be eligible to hold office in the Association and they shall not be accorded the privilege of voting.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

The Association operates under a fiscal year that begins March 1 and concludes on the last day of February. Annual dues of the Association are payable in advance, and a Member or Associate Member may be suspended from the Association if that person’s dues have not been paid by September 1.  A member of any membership category can be terminated by a majority vote of the membership.

 

The Executive Committee shall periodically determine the annual dues to be paid by Members and Associate Members.  Lifetime and Honorary Members are not required to pay annual dues.

 

ARTICLE V

 

The Executive Committee consists of four officers and three directors elected from the Members at large to serve one-year terms. The officers of this Board shall be the President, President-Elect, Secretary and Treasurer. All officers must have the status of active members of the Association.  The nomination of officers and directors should take into consideration the need for a diverse representation of government finance professionals.  Whenever possible, the Executive Committee should include representation from each of the following: a county with a 75,000 or less population, a city or town with 30,000 or less population and a special district or public authority.  The immediate Past President shall also be a member of the Executive Committee. 

 

The Executive Committee is elected and takes office at the business meeting at the March Spring Conference.  The Executive Committee shall, upon election, immediately enter upon the performance of their duties and shall continue in office until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.  The Executive Committee shall have control of and be responsible for the management of the affairs and property of the Association.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Not later than 90 days before the day of the regular annual meeting, the president shall appoint a Nominating Committee consisting of the most recent immediate Past President, if still a Member of the Association, who shall be chairperson, and three other Members. The Nominating Committee shall nominate one candidate for each position to be filled. Further nominations may be made from the floor during the annual meeting.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

It shall be the duty of the Executive Committee to transact the business of the Association including arrangement of meetings as to time, place, and program; to study all matters referred to it by the Association and to perform other duties pertaining to the advancement and welfare of the Association.  The Executive Committee may establish policies as needed for the efficient operation of Association business, including a conflict of interest policy. 

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

If a member of the Executive Committee ceases being an accounting or financial officer in a government jurisdiction in North Carolina, his or her continuing status on the Executive Committee shall be determined as follows: if the person is still employed by a government jurisdiction in North Carolina in some other position, he or she may continue to serve on the Executive Committee until the end of his or her current term, otherwise, he or she shall resign from the Executive Committee.

 

Any vacancy by a key officer of the Association during the year shall be filled by another member of the Executive Committee to serve the remainder of the term, elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Any vacancy by a director during the year may be filled by a member to serve the remainder of the term, elected by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

 

Any member of the Executive Committee may be removed with or without cause, at any time, by vote of three-quarters (3/4) of the members of the Executive Committee, if in their judgment the best interest of the Association would be served thereby.  Each member of the Executive Committee must receive written notice of the proposed removal at least ten (10) days in advance of the proposed action.  An officer who has been removed as a member of the Executive Committee is immediately and automatically removed from office.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

The Association shall hold two meetings per year, one of which shall be the regular annual meeting at the Spring Conference and the other of which shall be at the Summer Conference as scheduled by the Executive Committee. Special meetings may be held after suitable notice, electronic or otherwise, at least 10 days in advance. At special meetings, only those matters specified in the call may be considered.

 

The Association may hold a Fall Conference in the central/western area of the State, providing basic training and education in public finance of common interest to cities, counties, public authorities and special districts.

 

All conferences held by the association may have separate, concurrent sessions focused on specific current topics for cities and counties and arranged to provide networking opportunities where appropriate.

 

ARTICLE X

 

Only Members are eligible for election as an officer or director of the Association, and only Members may vote on Association business. Each Member is entitled to one vote on any matter of Association business. 

 

ARTICLE XI

 

With the exception of the constitution and by-laws, all issues to be voted on shall be decided by a simple majority of the active members present at any regular or special meeting of the Association.

 

This constitution and by-laws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Association by a two-thirds vote of the active members present, providing that written notice, electronic or otherwise, of the proposed amendment has been sent to all active members at least 30 days before the meeting.

 

ARTICLE XII

 

The Association will continue as long as considered necessary by the membership.  In the event of liquidation, any assets of the Association will be transferred to the University Of North Carolina School Of Government to continue the promotion of government finance and the education of government finance professionals.